Inspirato Spring 2015

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SPRING 2015

CONTINENTAL SOPHISTICATION, CARIBBEAN BLISS BELMOND LA SAMANNA IN ST. MARTIN PAGE 60

ST. PETERSBURG

RUSSIA’S ARCHITECTURAL GEM

IRELAND

COUNTY CLARE, HOME TO IRISH MUSIC’S SOUL

PALM SPRINGS

STADIUM TENNIS MEETS THE DESERT

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SPRING 2015

CONTENTS FEATURES

72 WHITE NIGHTS St. Petersburg was meticulously planned to be a beautiful jumble of architectural styles. BY MAYA PRITSKER

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ST. MARTIN IDYLL

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St. Martin has two distinct personalities, several dozen beaches, hiking, snorkeling, fishing and diving; it might also be the world’s best spot to just chill. BY AARON GULLEY

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

A JIG AND A PINT Traditional Irish music forms the soul of many of the towns and villages in County Clare, on Ireland’s Atlantic Coast. BY TURTLE BUNBURY

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CONTENTS

SPRING 2015

DEPARTMENTS 40

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WELCOME LETTER

10 N EWS Inspirato Members gather at the new Experience Centers and at the Ryder Cup.

14 MEMBERS SPEAK OUT See what Inspirato Members had to tweet and Instagram about recently.

INSPIRATION . 18 FOOD & DRINK Ethnic food knows no borders in New York City.

24 FACES

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Get to know members Chef Ming Tsai (p. 24) and Dr. Karen Latimer (p. 38).

26 CULTURE A visit to Geneva’s Patek Philippe Museum is time well spent.

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32 ADVENTURE Join Exum Mountain Guides to climb and ski the snaggly summits of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

40 PLACES Maui is a paradise for hikers and runners.

44 SPORTING LIFE Get close to the world’s greatest tennis players at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

53 STYLE & DESIGN Sunglasses for the season.

56 MEMBER RECOMMENDED Members celebrate a storybook wedding in Vail despite Mother Nature’s efforts to derail their plans.

180 IN THE MOMENT Have an inspired memory from recent travels? Share it and you could win a special Inspirato gift.

SPRING 2015

CONTINENTAL SOPHISTICATION, CARIBBEAN BLISS BELMOND LA SAMANNA IN ST. MARTIN PAGE 60

IRELAND * JACK SON HOLE * NEW YORK CITY * ST. MARTIN *

ST. PETERSBURG

RUSSIA’S ARCHITECTURAL GEM

IRELAND

COUNTY CLARE, HOME TO IRISH MUSIC’S SOUL

PALM SPRINGS

STADIUM TENNIS MEETS THE DESERT

ST. PETERSBURG SPRING 2015

UNWIND ON THE COVER

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The grounds of Belmond La Samanna in St. Martin. (Photo courtesy of Belmond La Samanna)

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Brent Handler FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Brad Handler

Brian Corbett

Martin Pucher

FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN

FOUNDER & CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER

FOUNDER

Jeff Hartman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christine Rafanelli

Brian McCarthy

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

DIRECTOR OF BRAND MARKETING

PUBLISHER David A. Henry EDITOR Dina Mishev

MANAGING EDITOR Grant Davis

CREATIVE DIRECTORS Pete Schaer, Gary Serviss

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rachel Walker

COPY EDITOR Pamela Periconi

ART DIRECTOR David Allen

PHOTO EDITOR Christopher D. Thompson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Georgia Alexia Benjou, Turtle Bunbury, Aaron Gulley, Alexander Lobrano, Lila Margaret, Maya Pritsker, Michael Shapiro CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS & PHOTOGRAPHERS James Fennell, Adam Charles George, Jen Judge, Frank J Wicker, James Laish, Evan Sklar, David Stubbs, Christopher D. Thompson

PROJECT MANAGER Chris Rhodes

PRE-PRESS Lauren Pesce

NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES Chris Smith DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS csmith@inspirato.com 720.465.3249

1637 Wazee • Denver, CO 80202 Inspirato.com • info@inspirato.com • 303.586.7771

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LANETERRALEVER

laneterralever.com • 303.296.4100

Inspirato magazine is published three times annually, © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written consent of the Publisher. Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www.inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary, Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303.586.7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

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WELCOME

ANNUAL REUNION From left: Brent and Kirsten Handler with friends Saxon and Chris Copps.

MAKING CONNECTIONS INSPIRATO’S ANNUAL CRUISES HAVE become my family’s favorite vacation, not just because the experience is beyond words, but also because we make so many new friends each time we embark. My kids regularly text, Facebook and Instagram with friends from the U.S., Mexico and even Spain—all of whom they met on earlier cruises. For our part, Kirsten and I have become close with Chris and Saxon Copps, amazing members from Newport Beach, California. The Copps have two boys the same age as Eli, our 10-year-old, and this summer our families have decided to stay together at Inspirato’s Lake Como residence before heading north to the this year’s Baltic Sea cruise. Meeting the Copps reminds me that one of the best parts of vacationing is creating bonds with people: those you travel with, and those you meet along the way. That’s really what life is all about— making connections with people who share your passions, to help you engage more fully with all the world has to offer.

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This theme of connection has always been a big part of Inspirato. When members join the club, they also join a community of travelers who happen to be incredibly interesting people in real life. They meet each other on vacation, often cross paths professionally and in many cases find they live in the same area. For us, there’s nothing better than seeing these connections evolve into long-term friendships. As 2015 gets underway, we’re giving a lot of thought to how to make personal connections an even bigger part of the club. Because ultimately, the most memorable experiences aren’t just about where you went and what you saw. They are also about who was by your side, or talking with you across the table. Nowhere could this be more apparent than on page 56, where Matt Ozuna shares the story of getting engaged to his wife, Casey Jo, on our first Mediterranean cruise in 2013. And then, despite Mother Nature’s best efforts to derail their plans, gathering with family and friends in Vail to celebrate their wedding last October. Several of the guests in attendance were

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fellow Inspirato Members whom the couple met on the cruise and have since become lifelong friends. We’re thrilled for this wonderful couple. This issue should also inspire you to strengthen bonds with family and friends on your own adventures. On page 72 we highlight just one of the six glorious ports—St. Petersburg—on the itinerary of that Baltic Sea cruise I mentioned. And you can learn all about St. Martin on page 60, a new destination perfect for get-togethers with friends both old and new. Wherever you’re inspired to travel with Inspirato, we hope you return home with the best souvenir of all—a heightened sense of connection to the people who matter most. Enjoy the journey, BRENT HANDLER FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER INSPIRATO

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


MEMBER NEWS NOVEMBER 2014

MEMBER GATHERINGS

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his past fall, just in time for the holidays, Inspirato opened a series of Experience Centers in high-end shopping centers across the country. These beautiful temporary spaces were designed to showcase the Inspirato lifestyle and offer shoppers a soothing refuge from the rush of holiday crowds. In addition, we hosted a variety of gatherings throughout the season, which included appearances and lively Q&A sessions with some of the club’s most well-known members. As ski season hits its peak, Inspirato looks forward to opening a similarly-designed permanent lounge at the base of Solaris in Vail, CO, to give members from around the world even more opportunity to meet each other and compare notes and stories from their club travels.

INSPIRATO IN PERSON (Clockwise from top left)

A Sporting Couple Members Mia Hamm, the U.S. soccer star, and husband, MLB star Nomar Garciaparra, enjoyed the grand opening in Newport Beach.

Tranquility Base The exterior of the Denver Experience Center.

Taste Master Sponsor Stella Artois brought its beer Cicerone to the party.

Welcome to the Club Members came out in force to the Newport Beach event.

Top-Level Meeting Inspirato CEO Brent Handler with former Denver Nuggets coach and Inspirato Member George Karl at the Denver Experience Center.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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A JOURNEY MEASURED IN MAGNIFICENCE

ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION 2016 Journey to the Earth's southernmost continent, where the grandeur of white mountain ranges will leave you speechless and the hulking ice shelves will astound in their silent magnitude. We've created a members-only expedition aboard the National Geographic Orion through the great white kingdom of Antarctica.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE, CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SUITE TODAY! 855.481.5405 | WWW.INSPIRATO.COM/ANTARCTICA2016

Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.


MEMBER NEWS

THE RYDER CUP, SCOTLAND SEPTEMBER 2014

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or only the second time in its 40-year history, the Ryder Cup golf tournament returned to Scotland, the sport’s ancient home. And Inspirato Members were there. But even more exciting was the exclusive chance to take part in the Inspirato Cup, a members-only tournament held at the Turnberry Resort nearby. On day one, members played on Ailsa, the four-time Open Championship links course renowned for its view of the Turnberry lighthouse. The following day’s round was held at Kintyre Course against the backdrop of the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran. Between each day’s round, there were opportunities to explore the lush Scottish countryside and coastline, indulge in the resort’s amenities and follow the day’s action at Gleneagles, where Team USA was taking on Team Europe. After Guillermo Porter was crowned Inspirato Cup champion, the group watched the final round of the Ryder Cup from the Tweed restaurant on Gleneagles’ 2nd hole.

HIT PARADE (Clockwise from top left)

Big Swing Member Guillermo Porter tees off.

Club Life Members stayed at the grand Turnberry Resort.

Cheers! Guillermo Porter and friend Oscar Villarreal.

Linked In Member Greg Foster (right) and fatherin-law Brian Thiele.

Ryder Cup Classic weather and conditions for Scottish golf greeted spectators at Gleneagles.

Fairway to Heaven Member Glenny Lee Buquet and companion Richard Desonier.

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www.robertgraham.us ScottSdale, aZ | Venice, ca | MoHeGan SUn, ct | Boca Raton, Fl | SaRaSota, Fl PalM BeacH GaRdenS, Fl | SHoRt HillS, nJ | BleeckeR StReet, nY | GaRden citY, nY laS VeGaS, nV | HoUSton, tX | dallaS, tX


INSPIRATO INSIDER

Wherever you go with Inspirato, we invite you to share highlights with your Inspirato family.

SEASON’S GREETINGS The fall and winter’s best tweets and Instagrams from Inspirato members and friends.

SPRING 2015

CONTINENTAL SOPHISTICATION, CARIBBEAN BLISS BELMOND LA SAMANNA IN ST. MARTIN PAGE 60

IRELAND * JACK SON HOLE * NEW YORK CITY * ST. MARTIN *

TWITTER @INSPIRATO

IRELAND

COUNTY CLARE, HOME TO IRISH MUSIC’S SOUL

PALM SPRINGS

STADIUM TENNIS MEETS THE DESERT

ST. PETERSBURG

@adriaellis ADRIA ELLIS Sunrise and #latoureiffel. What a lovely pairing. #Paris #inspirato #inspiratoinparis

ST. PETERSBURG

RUSSIA’S ARCHITECTURAL GEM

SPRING 2015

@storagemark MARK HALMA Beautiful morning in Punta de Mita #Inspirato

UNWIND

SHARING MADE EASY The best vacations involve one-of-a-kind experiences and stories that will be told for years, and the Inspirato magazine tablet edition lets you start the sharing now. Download the new edition from the iTunes® store or Google Play™ and then use email to share pages covering your favorite destinations.

@darren_cahill DARREN CAHILL Wonderful family holiday in Grand Cayman. Big thx to Caren, Atnafu & Brent @inspirato. Absolutely beautiful place.

@DanielRmos DANIELA RAMOS Snowmass village on the brink of ski season! #snowmass #inspirato #vacaciones

@emdezen EMILY DEZEN Grand Cayman Soaking in the Cayman Sun #honeymoonround2 #inspirato

@kristincavallari KRISTIN CAVALLARI Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico Sunday funday. @inspirato making it happen.

@mikeslone MIKE SLONE Happy Birthday Harper (with an Aspen inspired cake) #inspirato

@leisa_michelle LEISA MICHELLE Aspen Highlands, Colorado relaxed #kellengram

@cganjon CARIN GANJON Real Del Mar, Mexico Morning swim #inspirato #realdelmar #casadelashamacas #bestlappoolever

facebook.com/inspirato

@inspirato

youtube.com/inspirato

instagram.com/inspirato

pinterest.com/inspirato

brooklyn morgan/unsplash

INSTAGRAM @INSPIRATO

Check in regularly with inspirato.com for additional content and to learn about Inspirato Signature Collection vacation choices.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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FIND YOUR VACATION INSPIRATION

JAUNT® Every Wednesday, we send our Jaunt email with a new selection of exciting Jaunt 52 trips: featured Inspirato vacations available during specific dates over the next 52 weeks at rates you have to see to believe. Combined with our Jaunt Now drop-everythingand-go last minute getaways, these values are sure to prompt you to vacation more than ever before.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT JAUNT® 888.546.5008 I WWW.INSPIRATO.COM/JAUNT

Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.


Some of the otherworldly birds (including one of the rarest wild parrots in the world, the emerald green Puerto Rican Amazon), flowers, frogs and trees that live in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest are found nowhere else. And nowhere else in the U.S. National Forest System is there a tropical rainforest. Take a walk (or drive) to the upper reaches of the windward side of the 3,000-some-foot-tall Luquillo Mountains, tucked into a crescent-shaped band south of Bahia Beach. There you’ll see why Spanish King Alfonso XII first protected this area (as a Crown Reserve) in 1876, when the island was still a Spanish colony. Sierra palms, giant tree ferns and trumpet trees form a canopy that thousands upon thousands of impatiens, bromeliads and arboreal orchids bloom beneath. El Yunque’s most magical feature might be its waterfalls, though. A short hike brings you to the perfect-for-soaking La Mina Falls. (There’s a rock-rimmed pool at its base.) La Coca Falls tumbles 85 feet and can be seen from the road. — THE EDITORS

* FOR MORE DETAILS ON INSPIRATO’S PUERTO RICO SIGNATURE RESIDENCES, TURN TO PAGE 98 (BAHIA BEACH) AND 112 (DORADO BEACH).

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alexander lamar

TROPICAL PARADISE, PUERTO RICO

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RARE TREAT The flowing El Yunque River in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest.

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FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

GUESS WHO’S SLICING YOUR STURGEON? “

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

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here’s a lot to learn and the world is getting smaller,” says renowned chef David Bouley as he presides over an eight-course tasting menu at Brushstroke, his elegant Japanese restaurant in lower Manhattan. The chef who transformed French cuisine at his namesake Bouley restaurant has made an even greater leap by pursuing the culinary sensibilities of Japan. “Hopefully we can indulge in the benefits and learn to share them,” he says. “And if we can find other cuisines that can help us without losing our own identity, then it’s all good stuff.” The Connecticut-born, French-trained chef and restaurateur Bouley opened Brushstroke in 2011 in partnership with Japan’s Tsuji Culinary Institute. Featuring seasonal tasting menus known as kaiseki, Bouley and his chefs (he oversees Brushstroke but doesn’t cook there) employ classical Japanese techniques to devise food that’s healthy, flavorful and aesthetically pleasing. The autumn menu included a kabocha and butternut squash soup, Alaskan rock fish and smoked duck breast. “I didn’t shift cuisines,” says Bouley. “I contribute

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BY MICHAEL SHAPIRO

what I think Americans are interested in, so I’m sort of an editor. I work with them in terms of my indigenous ingredients and my techniques, and together we’ve been able to build almost a new cuisine.” Bouley is just one of many restaurant owners and cooks inspired by the food of another culture. New York is a city of immigrants, so maybe it’s not surprising that the hands-on owners of the sturgeon shop on New York City’s Upper East Side are Chinese brothers from Hong Kong—and that the manager of a century-old smoked fish emporium on the Lower East Side is from the Dominican Republic. Or that the restaurateur behind one of the city’s most highly acclaimed sushi restaurants comes from an Italian-American background. Or that the brother and sister cooking Southeast Asian-influenced Cajun food in lower Manhattan are Jewish. New York, after all, is a melting pot when it comes to dining. But what’s remarkable about so many of those bringing another culture’s food to the city’s tables is how open-heartedly and passionately they’re embracing their adopted cuisines, what they’re learning from them and how they’re

evan sklar (2)

The cooks preparing NYC’s ethnic delicacies know no borders.

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FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

BROTHERLY LOVE Brothers Kenny and Danny Sze opened Sable’s on the Upper East Side.

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SOMETHING’S FISHY Slicing lox at Russ & Daughters.

creating dishes that are refreshingly innovative. From watching Japanese chefs at work, Bouley learned everything from the proper way to harvest fish to the health benefits of using fermented foods. “I’ve always been a French-trained chef who works from raw ingredients,” Bouley says. “If I can enhance the raw ingredients, I can build a better experience for my customers.” Which is exactly what Julie and Will Horowitz, the brother and sister from White Plains (30 miles north of Manhattan), are doing at Ducks Eatery, a homey, brick-walled restaurant in a single-story building in the East Village.

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They come from a family tradition of cooking: Their maternal grandfather was a fisherman on Long Island (“we source most of our seafood from out there”), and their maternal grandmother was a French-trained chef. Their paternal great-grandparents owned a delicatessen in Harlem. “Just being here feels very powerful because we are reliving our family’s legacy,” says Julie, the GM and co-owner. The siblings still have their great-grandfather’s pastrami/brisket knife, “so every time we cook a brisket or pastrami, [for a special event] we slice it with his knife.”

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What makes the Ducks menu special is rooted in what Will calls “heritage techniques”—drying, curing, fermenting, pickling, smoking and aging—used at delis for generations. They merge these approaches with the flavors of the places they’ve traveled, especially New Orleans and Southeast Asia. There’s spicy brisket jerky, Rocky Point oysters with jalapeno mignonette and Yakamein soup (brisket and clams with sora noodles), “which I believe is Creole for the ultimate hangover cure,” Julie says. Every week in the summer there’s a crawfish boil with Cajun spices. For dessert, how about a New Orleans favorite with an urban edge? Beignets with dark chocolate espresso sauce. “People who have eaten here are taken aback by how we look and what our background is,” says Julie, who’s 28 but doesn’t look old enough to drink. “Will [who’s 32] and I enjoy the shock element.” Recently a customer from Memphis who said he smoked his own meat ordered the hickory-smoked St. Louis ribs. “There’s always the fear of, ‘This isn’t authentic, what are you thinking, Yankee?’” Julie says. But the customer was happy, and “for the most part, we have really great feedback.” Enthusiastic praise also greeted Alessandro Borgognone when he opened Sushi Nakazawa in the West Village in 2013. An Italian-American, Borgognone had spent years working at Patricia’s, his family’s Italian restaurant in the Bronx. Then he saw the 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about Jiro Ono, an exacting Tokyo sushi chef in his eighties who earned three Michelin stars. He knew he wanted to open a sushi restaurant. Borgognone emailed Ono’s former apprentice, Daisuke Nakazawa, and two weeks later got a call back. Nakazawa was interested in opening a restaurant in New York, “but first he had to get to know me as a person,” Borgognone says. “My background is: If you have a great idea, I’d say, ‘Come on, let’s do it.’ He wanted to know how many kids I have, the kids’ ages, where they went to school, what they like to do for fun and what I did for fun. He had to get to know me as a person before he would entertain the idea of going into business with me.” By getting to know one another, as people and through food, the two men found that in cultural and culinary ways they weren’t far apart. “The main goal is very similar,” Borgognone says, “creating something that’s going to be perfect.” Sushi is “very different from a plate of spaghetti, garlic and oil, but again it’s very similar. Italian cuisine is very simple and minimalistic, and the simpler you are the better.” Which echoes Borgognone and Nakazawa’s approach to sushi: “The fish is really the highlight, and the rice. It’s buying the best ingredients that we could find in order to make it perfect.” While Nakazawa strives for perfection in his

evan sklar

FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

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FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

evan sklar (left). courtesy chef bouley/nicole bartelme

IT’S A SMALL WORLD (Left) Caviar at Sable’s. (Right) French-trained David Bouley opened the Japanese restaurant Brushstroke.

sushi creations, Borgognone has the same goal for the restaurant’s service and ambiance. “I paint every three months,” he says in his strong New York accent. “We keep it crisp; we keep it clean.” Brash and confident, Borgognone, 34, says running a Japanese restaurant is shaping him not just as a businessman but as a person. “As a restaurant owner, I’ve learned you get more bees with honey,” he says. Borgognone says he feels a strong kinship with the Japanese way of relentlessly seeking to be the best. “They’re not content with just being good,” he says. “They are looking for perfection. And I think it’s rubbing off on me, not settling. Never settle.” A similar attitude has made Sable’s the place to go for smoked salmon, sturgeon and pickled herring on the Upper East Side. Brothers Kenny and Danny Sze came from Hong Kong to New York City as teenagers and went right to work at the legendary Zabar’s on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where they learned how to select, trim and slice smoked fish. “At Zabar’s, we started at the bottom,” Kenny

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says, but soon he became manager of the appetizer department, a post he held for 12 years. “Zabar’s was like college for us. All the old-timers from Eastern Europe were there; now they’re all gone or retired. They taught us how to make pickled herring, whitefish salad, chopped liver, chicken soup with matzo balls.” The brothers felt the Upper East Side lacked a great place for the kind of smoked fish and caviar beloved by the city’s Jewish community. “I knew I was good, and that if I opened my own place it would be a success,” Kenny says. The Sze brothers have endeared themselves to their customers by giving out tastes and peppering conversation with the occasional Yiddish phrase, such as Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday). Sable’s has now been open for a quarter-century. “We’ve got to be good,” Danny says. “All our customers here are mavens; we have probably 80 to 90 percent Jewish customers. If we’re not good, forget it.” Photos of celebrity customers paper the walls. “Rodney Dangerfield would come in here and say, ‘Hey, how come no taste for me? I don’t get

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no respect.’ He would stay and schmooze for a while,” Danny says. “Mayor [Ed] Koch was a regular customer, too.” On the Lower East Side, where so many Jewish immigrants landed a century or more ago, a similar story has unfolded at Russ & Daughters. Opened in 1914, the smoked fish counter on Houston Street has been owned by the Russ family for more than a century. Yet the man whom fourth-generation owners Niki Russ Federman and John Russ Tupper call “the soul of Russ & Daughters” is Herman Vargas, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. In 1980, when he was 18, Vargas started there by washing dishes and peeling onions. He didn’t expect to stay too long—he’d come to the U.S. to get an engineering degree—but found the family atmosphere akin to the communal feeling he enjoyed in the Dominican Republic. Soon Vargas moved up to work the counter, selling everything from pickled herring to whitefish to caviar. A regular customer came in, saw Vargas and asked to speak to the manager. “Now

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you have Puerto Ricans working here? What does a Puerto Rican know about schmaltz herring and smoked salmon?” the man asked. In the ’80s, Vargas says, “anyone in New York who spoke Spanish was considered Puerto Rican.” That customer “turned to me and says, ‘Wait on me? Not in a million years,’ ” Vargas recalls. “I was like, wow, how will I break the barrier to let people know that I really want to serve them? I made a conscious decision not to allow rejection to be a hindrance.” Vargas noticed that the manager greeted customers by saying: “Vos makht ir, yid?” (“How are you doing?” literally, “How is a Jew doing?”). Vargas would take a little pad and phonetically write down, Vos makht ir, yid. “So when a customer would come in, I’d say, ‘Vos makht ir, yid?’ And the guy just cracked up laughing. He says, ‘What is this, a Puerto Rican speaking Yiddish?’ And he would say, ‘Can you cut lox?’ And I would say, ‘Well, if I can speak Yiddish, I can certainly cut lox.’” Vargas practiced the art of cutting smoked salmon very thin because, “I knew it was important for people who wanted the maximum amount of slices out of every pound, and also some people believe that the thinner you cut it the better it tastes.” Word on the street was Vargas was so skilled that you could read The New York Times through his smoked salmon slices. Calvin Trillin, who wrote about Russ & Daughters for The New Yorker, has a character in his novel, Tepper Isn’t Going Out, called “Herman the Artistic Slicer.” And there are so many more stories: Italian-Brazilian restaurateur Marco Moreira became a celebrated sushi chef in the 1980s when just about every sushi chef was Japanese. He opened the sushi restaurant 15 East and also runs Tocqueville. Moreira has just returned to his roots, having opened a sleek Brazilian eatery called Botequim at the Hyatt Union Square last September. “I am a Brazilian, non-Brazilian guy learning to make Brazilian cuisine,” Moreira says. “Now that I’m opening a Brazilian restaurant, I feel like a foreigner.” Leonardo Vasquez left Guatemala 20 years ago and landed in Queens at a deli called Pastrami Queen that has since moved to Manhattan’s Upper East Side. A Puerto Rican manager taught Vasquez how to cook pastrami, corned beef and other Jewish delicacies, Vasquez says. “He could tell us in Spanish how to make matzo ball soup.” Vasquez, 38, has spent more than half his life working at Pastrami Queen and makes some of the best pastrami and knishes in New York. “So famous the knishes … we sell them every day, so many,” he says. “The pastrami, same thing.” But don’t ask for the recipe. “We don’t give it away,” he says with a smile. “No way.” And then there’s Marcus Samuelsson, the Ethi-

EAT UP (Above) Sandwich from Sable’s. (Below) Fish at Russ & Daughters.

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evan sklar (2)

FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

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FOOD & DRINK | NE W YORK, NE W YORK

COMING TOGETHER Alessandro Borgognone and Daisuke Nakazawa of Sushi Nakazawa.

“You have to have a deeper interaction with the city,” Samuelsson said on NPR’s Fresh Air. “If you can connect the city, you can really change the footprint of dining.” And maybe even the way people see the world.

opian-born, Swedish-raised chef whose Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, serves African-American comfort food and has helped reinvigorate the neighborhood. Like many great chefs and immigrants, Samuelsson’s ambitions seem boundless. After tremendous success at New York’s Aquavit, Samuelsson moved to Harlem and spent three years learning about the neighborhood, its culture and culinary traditions. He won a Top Chef Masters competition in 2010 and that year opened Red Rooster, which has brought countless people from other parts of the city and beyond to Harlem.

Michael Shapiro writes about travel and food for magazines including National Geographic Traveler. Raised in New York, he discovered smoked salmon when he was 3 years old on the first day of a family vacation in Florida and ordered “pink fish” every morning for the rest of that trip.

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS

courtesy sushi nakazawa/daniel krieger

WALK: A stroll along the Highline, an elevated park running through Chelsea, offers stellar views and a maze of gardens in spring bloom.

New York City Inspirato offers luxury stays in hotels on Gramercy Park, in SoHo, on Central Park West and on 5th Avenue across from Central Park. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S NYC SIGNATURE STAYS, TURN TO PAGE 133.

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Paige Wunderlich’s picks

Inspirato Personal Vacation Advisor

BIKE: Take advantage of the spring sunshine and rent a bike to roll up and down the West Side Highway’s bike lane or take a spin around Central Park. SHOP: From Saks Fifth Avenue to funky boutiques in SoHo, New York is a shopper’s paradise. Stop into the Housing Works Bookstore Café in SoHo, a

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peaceful place to relax over coffee or wine. ART: Within blocks of each other sits the highest concentration of art in the U.S., anchored by The Met, the largest museum in the U.S., the Museum of Modern Art, the Frick Museum and the Guggenheim. MONUMENT: The juxtaposition between beauty and sadness found at the 9/11 Memorial packs an emotional impact that you will never forget.

March 17, 2015 ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE Dating back more than 150 years, this event draws 150,000 marchers to Fifth Ave. April, 2015 CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL Spring arrives at Central Park’s Conservatory Garden and Brooklyn’s Botanical Gardens. May 16-17, 2015 NINTH AVE. INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL Ethnic cuisine takes over 20 blocks of the city.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


FA C E S | B O S T O N , M A S S A C H U S E T T S

AMERICAN CLASSIC

MING TSAI

EATING WELL Inspirato Member Chef Ming Tsai at Blue Dragon, his Asian gastro pub in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood.

CHEF MING ON TRAVEL Favorite Inspirato Destination: “My family loves to ski, and I can’t wait to get out to Vail in the winter. What I like about Inspirato houses is that, as a cook, I have to have a kitchen to cook in—that’s why I don’t do hotels. Inspirato does a great job of stocking it with everything I need to feed my family.”

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

Must-Have Ingredient: “You have to have garlic. In every cuisine around the world, there’s garlic, and the smell of garlic sautéing in butter or oil makes my mouth water and makes me feel instantly at home. Of course, in my opinion, ginger is the equal of garlic for its savory and sweet flavors.”

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Tsai learned the ropes of the restaurant business from his mother who ran a Chinese restaurant, Mandarin Kitchen, in Dayton, Ohio. Despite a blue-blood education—Phillips Andover and a mechanical engineering degree from Yale—that prepared him to follow in his engineering father’s footsteps, not his mother’s, he spent his summers in Paris cooking, first at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu and then working in area restaurants. It was there that he realized his calling. “There I was, a first-generation Chinese-American, telling my immigrant parents that I want to be a chef,” laughs Tsai. “My mother was supportive, and my father just said, ‘Son, if you’re not passionate, you will not be a success.’ And that was that, I was a chef.” Tsai earned his masters in hospitality from Cornell and then landed in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s famed Coyoté Café. By 1998, he and his wife had moved to Boston and opened Blue Ginger, which Tsai describes as a mix of East meets West cuisine (think garlic lobster or butterfish in a creamy miso sauce). In 2002, the James Beard

Foundation named him Best Chef Northeast, and Blue Ginger has held onto its status as one of the top restaurants in the region. Why Boston? “Our priorities were to find a city that was big enough to support a Chinatown, so we could easily supply the restaurant with the best ingredients, and had a sizable population that was well-traveled because if you’re well-traveled, you’ll appreciate good food and wine. We loved San Francisco, but the economics didn’t work, and it came down to New York or Boston. As a student, I already had a connection to Boston, so we chose Boston.” Since then he’s collected an Emmy for his Food Network show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai. In 2013, in the hip Fort Point neighborhood, he opened Blue Dragon, which he describes as an Asian gastro pub (“Try the whole fried chicken,” Tsai says). Driving all his efforts is the deep-seated satisfaction his food brings out in people. “People who appreciate great food and wine will do what it takes to find it, and it’s those people who make being a chef the best.” — GRANT DAVIS

courtesy blue ginger/melissa mahoney

“I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF A RESTAURANT,” says Boston-based chef, best-selling author, culinary TV star and Inspirato Member Ming Tsai. “With great food and service, you can make people happy.” It’s that positive approach to cooking that has propelled Chef Ming, as he’s called, to the top of the food chain in the Boston area thanks to his signature restaurant, Blue Ginger, in Wellesley. It’s also led to the opportunity to cook for heads of state, China’s among them, as well as a private dinner party for the late poet Maya Angelou.

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CULTURE | G E N E VA , S W I T Z E R L A N D

DOING TIME T

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

hough I’d read the recent headlines that a Patek Philippe pocket watch had sold at auction in Geneva on November 11, 2014, for a record-breaking $24 million, they’d registered with me more as a vertigo-inducing oddity than as something that might stoke my personal curiosity. So in spite of the flawless accuracy of the Swiss-made wristwatch I’ve been wearing for the last 20 years, I almost miss an appointment at what turns out to be one of the most interesting museums I’ve ever visited. To be perfectly honest, it is my fault, too. I only end up visiting the Patek Philippe Museum after I’ve politely done everything I can think of to avoid it. The idea of going to the museum isn’t mine, you see, but comes from friends I am visiting in Geneva, their hometown. When it is floated over lunch, this outing strikes me as something my friends are dutifully suggesting as a way of keeping me entertained. But I don’t need to be entertained, and I frankly can’t imagine the interest of visiting a watch museum, which I assume will, doubtless, be dull, a lot of watches tucked away in dimly lit glass cases. As it turns out, the name of the venerable watchmaker Patek Philippe’s museum tour—“A Legacy of Genius”—is very much an understatement. The history of watchmaking isn’t just a grand-slam testament to human ingenuity, but also offers a suite of fascinating and often magnificent miniature lessons in the broader currents of Western and Eastern art history, sociology

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and economic history. Who knew? Not me. Fortunately, my friends persist, and so on a sunny Saturday afternoon so clear it is thrillingly easy to see the saw-tooth, snow-capped Alps on the horizon, we head to Geneva’s Quartier des Plainpalais, an old, formerly industrial neighborhood where many of the city’s famous watch companies once had their ateliers. Here on a quiet side street, the Patek Philippe Museum, which the watchmaker opened in 2001 in one of its former ateliers—Ateliers Reunis S.A. produced watch cases, bracelets and chains here for Patek Philippe—occupies a handsome limestone-faced art-deco building with very large windows and an elegant vestibule detailed with lots of polished brass. Together, at first glance it all brings to mind the offices of a private bank rather than a museum. The museum’s interior—warm but decidedly refined—is the result of a collaboration between Gerdi Stern, the wife of Philippe Stern, president of Patek Philippe, and the Groupement d’Architectes SA. After Stern made the decision to put his family’s collection of over 2,000 timepieces and automats on public display, Madame Stern, who had successfully renovated the Chateau Blanc, where the company now has its workshops, in Geneva’s Plan-LesOuates district, was invited to oversee the project. The soft lighting, plush carpeting and rich, custom-made wood display cases that she chose for the museum emphasize the beauty of the objects on display in a setting both welcoming and intimate.

courtesy patek philippe

In Geneva, the Patek Philippe Museum has one of the best watch collections in the world. BY ALEXANDER LOBRANO

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CULTURE | G E N E VA , S W I T Z E R L A N D

OLD SCHOOL Vintage watchmaking tools.

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INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


CULTURE | G E N E VA , S W I T Z E R L A N D

BY THE NUMBERS: PATEK PHILIPPE 55,000 Watches that the company made in 2014

2,000+ Watches in the Patek Philippe Museum collection

40 The number of years Mr. Philippe Stern spent collecting these watches

23.7 million The amount in dollars an anonymous bidder paid for the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication pocket watch at a Sotheby’s auction in November

7 How many years it took to design and fabricate the Supercomplication

24 The number of features— horological complications— on Graves’ watch, including a perpetual calendar, moon phases and an exact replica of the night sky as seen from Central Park

8,000

100+ The number of patents held by Patek Philippe

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

FAMILY BUSINESS (Left) Thierry Stern, the fourth generation of Sterns to run Patek Philippe, took over as president in 2009. (Right) Silver and 18k rose gold pocket watch made to commemorate the 10th year of the pontification of Pope Leo XIII.

My friends arrange for an English-speaking guide, the charming and very knowledgeable Sylvia Graa, and our visit begins on the ground floor where several traditional watchmakers’ work stations are displayed. What is immediately engaging about looking at the watchmakers’ tools is that it is possible, by visually following the way the handmilled metal gears, wheels and shafts fit together, to guess at how some of the intricate machinery actually works. “The mission of the museum is to tell the story of portable watches from the 16th through the 20th centuries,” Madame Graa explains. “But the real magic of this story is that all of the pieces contained in Patek Philippe watches are made with the latest technology machines and then hand-finished to offer the greatest precision possible, as they did when the company opened in 1839.” Among the most impressive of the machines on display is an original 18 th-century face-lathe, an invention that completely transformed the history of watchmaking by

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making it possible to produce hollowed-out watch cases. Previously, watch mechanisms had been mounted between two small metal plates, a difficult operation because it was impossible to check the proper functioning of the wheels behind the top plate as it was being matched to the tiny pillars that supported it on the lower one. So the invention of the hollowed-out metal watch case presaged the invention of the wristwatches that have become the standard timekeeping devices of the modern world. “As the watchmakers will tell you, every machine has its own character,” Mme. Graa says. “Certain machines are better for certain tasks than others. The performance of the machines varies with the weather and changes of temperature, too. With these handmade machines, every part produced is unique. We may not be able to see it with the naked eye, but the watchmakers in the Patek Philippe atelier can tell who made each dial when they look at it under a loupe, for example.” The third floor of the museum houses the Patek Philippe

courtesy patek philippe

The number of books about watchmaking and timekeeping in Patek Philippe’s library

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CULTURE | G E N E VA , S W I T Z E R L A N D

archives and its library, which constitutes one of the world’s pre-eminent collections of books and manuscripts devoted to timekeeping and watchmaking—including works by Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton and Christiaan Huygens. (The latter invented the hair spring that allowed watches to have second hands.) Our tour begins in earnest on the second floor. When we stop to examine a magnificent gilt and chased German-made drum watch dating to 1530-40, Mme. Graa explains that, since most people at the time lived their daily lives according to the simple rhythms of sunrise and sunset, the earliest portable watches were very rare emblems of prestige and wealth reserved for the nobility and clergy. London, Paris and several German cities were the centers of the watchmaking trade in the 15th and 16th centuries, and watches were conceived as much as pieces of jewelry as they were timepieces. As conspicuous symbols of affluence, watches were designed to be ostentatious, even provocative, decorative objects. I see watches in the form of the Cross of the Order of the Holy Spirit, a human skull and a dolphin. The creation of watch cases and dials with intricate enamel paintings depicting mythological or religious themes, frequently inspired by the works of the most famous artists of the time, began in the early 17th century, first in France and then elsewhere in Europe. “They were meant to be petits merveilles [little marvels],” Mme. Graa observes as we gaze at a collection of them. What turned Switzerland into the pre-eminent watchmaking nation it is today was the migration of French Protestant watchmakers to Geneva and the region around Neuchâtel in anticipation of and after the 1685 revocation by French King Louis XIV of the Edict of Nantes, King Henry IV’s 1598 proclamation that guaranteed the rights of French Protestants in Catholic-majority France. Geneva was the somewhat austere bastion of Jean Calvin, the father of Calvinism, who frowned on jewelry and other extravagances, but who made an exception for watches, which were respected for the regularity they could impose upon work hours.

WORKS OF ART (Right) Made in 1930, this watch features 33 time zones, a yellow gold case with silvered dial and a revolving disc indicating diurnal and nocturnal hours. (Below) Queen Victoria’s pendant watch.

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS SHOP: Bongénie is a large department store that sets the tone for the city’s luxury and style. Bulgari and Cartier have their own boutiques.

courtesy patek philippe

Geneva A short drive or water taxi from downtown and located on Lake Geneva, La Réserve Hotel and Spa provides a five-star oasis to travelers. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S GENEVA SIGNATURE STAY, TURN TO PAGE 115.

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Lauren Morley’s picks

Inspirato Personal Vacation Advisor

DINING: From historic continental to eclectic, Geneva’s cuisine can tempt any palate. Try La Perle du Lac for a sense of history and its classic French fare. Le Tse Fung serves an upscale take on Chinese cuisine. For something hip, tuck into a meal at Café des Bains in the artsy neighborhood Quartier des

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Bains. If the weather’s nice, grab a seat on the sidewalk terrace and people watch. NATURAL WONDERS: If it’s springtime, you owe it to yourself to see what’s blooming at the L’hologe fleurie, the giant flower clock planted into the side of a park downtown. The city’s iconic landmark is the Jet d’Eau, a water fountain shooting 459 feet into the sky that is lit up at night. Get a new perspective on the Swiss Alps with a boat tour of Lake Geneva.

June 14-16, 2015 LAKE GENEVA SAILING REGATTA The lake’s deep blue water hosts a riot of white sails by day and lively parties at night. July 4-19, 2015 MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL The 48th edition of this famed lakeside festival brings together music of all sorts, including jazz, rock and Brazilian.

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CULTURE | G E N E VA , S W I T Z E R L A N D

Considering the international DNA of the company, which was founded by Polish count Antoine Norbert de Patek in Geneva in 1839 (Frenchman JeanAdrien Philippe became his business partner after a first meeting in Paris in 1844), this isn’t surprising. But Patek’s true ambitions for the company always spun on an axis of quality and innovation. It was because Philippe had invented the stem-winding system for watches that eliminated the need for a separate key that Patek first became interested in partnering with him. Dazzled and amused as I am by my time at the Patek Philippe Museum, the main reason I’m so glad of my visit is that, because every one of the watches displayed reflects a different concept of the beauty, utility and urgency of time at a specific moment in history, I am forced to muse on the value I assign to the sweep of a second hand in my own life. And just as I begin contemplating this, a soft-spoken man in a gray flannel suit approaches to say the museum is closing. The one verity about time that transcends the centuries is that you never have enough of it.

After watchmaker Huygens invented the balance spring in 1675, it was no longer necessary to reset watches several times a day to ensure their accuracy. The balance spring allowed for the addition of second hands to watch faces, and the watch began to evolve from an object of prestige to an essential tool of daily life for Europe’s rapidly growing bourgeoisie. Simultaneously, the new durability of watches allowed them to be incorporated into a variety of other items at the beginning of the 18th century, including a walking stick with a watch in its fob and pendants worn on ladies’ belts and rings. This trend reached its apogee by the end of the 18th century, and today that period is known as the golden age of fancy timepieces. Watches were fitted into everything from decorative keys, perfume flasks, sewing kits and opera glasses to tobacco jars, candy boxes and knives. As tiny but dazzling expressions of both the metallurgical and horological arts, facetiously droll tromp l’oeil watches were created in the shapes of miniature animals, musical instruments, fruits, flowers, baskets and keys. At this time, too, watches designed as souvenirs of Grand Tour visits to Geneva, Montreux and the Alps made their debut and began to boost Switzerland’s reputation as the world’s nee plus ultra watch producer. Deeper into the collections, watches fabricated by Patek Philippe and other producers for specific markets—Turkey and China, for example—reveal 19th-century Western perceptions of those countries. And also that Patek Philippe’s technological acumen has often been matched by the shrewdness of its marketing. It was the 19th century and already the company was designing watches to hit certain cultural aesthetic sweet spots and sell.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

Patek Philippe Museum, rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 7, Geneva; Tel. 41 (0)22-807-0910, www.patekmuseum.com; opening hours: Tuesday-Friday: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Alexander Lobrano is a travel and food writer who has lived in Paris since 1986. He writes regularly for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Saveur and other publications. He is the author of Hungry for Paris and Hungry for France.

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courtesy patek philippe

IN GOOD TIME (Left) Patek Philippe Museum. (Right) The Supercomplication watch.

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Baggage: Check.

WITH THE HELP OF YOUR STYLIST, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SPEND MORE TIME TRAVELING AND LESS TIME WONDERING WHAT TO PACK. Premium Clothing. Personal Stylists. Zero Membership Fees.

trunkclub.com/inspirato


ADVENTURE | JAC K S ON HOL E , W YOMING

EVEN EXPERTS CAN GET BETTER JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING

R

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

eaching the summit of Buck Mountain, the hard work should be done. Over two days, you’ve climbed 5,000 feet from the valley floor. Last night you camped—in a tent, in a snowfield—near one of the highest lakes

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in Grand Teton National Park, Timberline Lake. At sunset, you watched the Teton Range throw its profile—a shadow of it—down on Jackson Hole. This morning, you tackled the final 2,000-some feet to Buck’s summit, negotiating a knife-edge

david stubbs

The craggy Tetons in northwestern Wyoming loom intimidatingly above Jackson Hole, but for adventurous skiers, the range’s summits, faces and couloirs are a worthy challenge … if they’ve got the requisite skills. One of the country’s oldest guide services—based in Jackson Hole—wants to teach you. BY DINA MISHEV

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ADVENTURE | JAC K S ON HOL E , W YOMING

ridge that, to the north, fell away thousands of feet. It was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. Now standing on your school bus-sized aerie with the dozen other members of your group, the South, Middle and Grand Tetons loom to the north. To the east, on the far side of the valley, mountain range after mountain range stretches into the distance. Winding through the valley floor, the Snake River lives up to its name. Of course you want to take photos. Using a trick learned two days prior, on another, less-exposed but equally beautiful summit elsewhere in the range, you carefully take off your backpack and secure it to the slope using webbing and a carabiner. It’s important your backpack doesn’t go over an edge. You don’t want to lose the snacks in it. More importantly, you don’t want to lose your skis, which are tightly lashed to its exterior. You didn’t climb 11,938-foot Buck just to climb it. You’ve climbed Buck to ski its East Face. One of a handful of skiers in Exum Mountain Guides’ annual

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four-day Live to Ski Camp, you’re already a seasoned backcountry skier, able to handle 6,000 feet a day of climbing, familiar with the use of an ice axe, crampons and basic knots, and confident skiing steep slopes with pitches of up to 45 degrees. You’ve applied—all applicants have to submit a skiing résumé, and Exum guide and camp co-founder Zahan Billimoria says less than half are accepted—to this camp because there’s even more out there you want to explore. But this exploration you want to do requires climbing and skiing skills beyond what you currently have; the Tetons provide an ideal setting for such a high level of education. “There’s a huge gap between being a proficient backcountry skier who hunts for powder all winter long and developing the skills to go ski steep, high-consequence terrain that might involve a rappel or some belaying,” says Billimoria. “That’s what this camp was designed for—to help backcountry skiers bridge that gap to becoming solid ski mountaineers.”

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CLIMB HIGHER An instructor and camper in Exum Mountain Guides’ annual Live to Ski Camp climb a couloir in Grand Teton National Park.

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ADVENTURE | JAC K S ON HOL E , W YOMING

Ski mountaineering, as its name suggests, combines skiing with mountaineering. General backcountry skiing involves skiers skiing up (also known as skinning) a mountain before skiing down. Ski mountaineers do the same, but often rely on technical gear such as ropes, harnesses, crampons and ice axes to navigate the trickiest parts of a route. While ascending, ski mountaineers might transition from skinning to carrying skis on their backs so that they can climb up an ice waterfall. (For the final 2,000 feet up Buck, you have your skis on your back; not because you had to ice climb, but because it is too steep to skin.) Skiing down, ski mountaineers might rappel a section that is unskiable (such as a cliff band or ice waterfall). General backcountry skiing has little objective danger aside from the current avalanche hazard and obstacles such as trees. Ski mountaineering is often in high-consequence and steep terrain

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where a slip or fall, on the ascent or descent, may result in serious injury or death. A ski mountaineer might ski on belay, with a rope attached to her climbing harness while a partner above works the other end to prevent significant sliding after a fall. Mail Cabin, a lovely valley on the west side of Teton Pass that has tree skiing and numerous open bowls (and where Exum does single-day guided trips) is backcountry skiing. The North Face of Spalding Peak, which you skied on day 1, Skywalk above Avalanche Canyon (day 2) and the East Face of Buck, your final exam for the camp, are all considered ski mountaineering. “The reason we’re so stringent about participants’ experience and skill level is that we’re really committed to delivering an A+ experience for the people who are ready,” says Billimoria, who grew up in Switzerland and has been rock and ski guiding for Exum for six years. “There are lots of learning and

david stubbs (2)

NO LIFTS NECESSARY (Above) Instructors and campers climb the lower snowfields of Buck Mountain’s East Face in Grand Teton National Park. (Right) Traversing Buck’s Northeast Ridge near the peak’s 11,938-foot summit.

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ADVENTURE | JAC K S ON HOL E , W YOMING

RATHER GO GUIDED?

david stubbs

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM Campers learn ski-belay techniques in Garnet Canyon.

skill-building opportunities for intermediates, but really none for high-level people who want to take it to the next level and eventually tackle alpine-style objectives like Denali, Shuksan or the Grand Teton.” The applicants who made the cut for the camp range in age from early 20s to early 60s. The majority are in their 40s. In my camp, I was one of two women. While Buck involved a night of camping, the first two days focused on instruction and skill development like constructing anchors or skiing on belay. Each of these days we were back in Jackson in time for dinner. We could have learned about anchors to belay off or rappel from in a conference room, but that’s not how this camp goes. Instead, guides found a giant boulder in the middle of the Meadows, a flattish area at nearly 10,000 feet up Garnet Canyon and beneath the Middle Teton, and had everyone practice building anchors. First, though, we climbed 12,240-foot Spalding Peak and skied its 1,500-foot North Face, practicing skiing on belay at its very top, where the pitch approached 50 degrees. Skiing on belay, one end of a rope tied into your harness and the other end in the hands of Exum guide and co-owner Nat Patridge above, wasn’t as burdensome as you expected. Patridge asked that you count out loud to three. “Turn every time you get to ‘three,’ ” he said. (Turning at consistent intervals sets up the belayer to smoothly feed out the rope, rather than getting hung up and having the rope pull you backwards.) The next day we learned more about skiing on belay—and got to belay some of our fellow campers—while skiing runs off the north face of Albright Peak. Each day, camp guides challenged us to think more and more for ourselves, a skill necessary in the mountains. “There’s no one correct way to do this stuff,” Billimoria, and the four other instructors, repeated over and over. “We want to show you several different ways and then you can make

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the choice that works for the specific situation.” Stepping into your skis on the summit of Buck, you know the hard part is not over. Also, you’ve decided that skiing the top part of the face on belay works best for you. Considered one of the classic ski mountaineering routes in the Tetons, the top of the 1,200-foot East Face nears 45 degrees in pitch. About two-thirds of the way down, the face is bisected by a 200-foottall cliff band. To the left of the cliff band there is a break in the rocks you can ski through, but a fall high on the face, when you’re still above the cliffs, is disastrous. There’s little likelihood of being able to self-arrest before flying off the cliff. You’re fairly certain you’ve got the skills to ski the top without falling, but, since falling has such high consequences, why take the risk? “A rope isn’t a weakness, but a really valuable tool,” Billimoria says. Making your first turns off Buck’s summit, you’re smiling. Actually, no. Smiling doesn’t do it justice. You’re beaming. A goofy grin owns your face. You’re still concentrating and focused and don’t want to fall—being on belay saves you from the cliffs below but not from the ribbing of fellow campers— but missing is the steely taste of fear you’ve had before at the top of intimidating lines. You’re going to enjoy this. Four turns in you let loose a yelp. The Haute Route was great and so is heading out of bounds from the top of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s tram, but carving turns through the corn snow—spring conditions, when avalanches are less likely, are the best for ski mountaineering—on a ginormous mountain face, that from the valley floor looks vertiginous, is something else entirely. You wonder if you’ll ever be truly happy skiing “usual” runs and routes again. You want to climb and ski every peak and line in the Tetons. And that’s the stoke Exum is hoping this camp brings you. “Ev-

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If you love the idea of climbing and skiing a hulking, challenging Teton peak but aren’t at the level to learn—or interested in learning—the skills to do it on your own, Exum has a four-day camp on 12,605-foot Mt. Moran, on the western shore of Jackson Lake in the northern part of Grand Teton National Park. The camp is guided—one guide per two skiers—rather than instructional and will be held March 12-16 this year. “Moran is arguably the greatest ski mountain in one of the greatest ski mountaineering ranges,” Zahan Billimoria says. “The Grand [Teton] is the most iconic peak in the range, but in terms of pure, uninterrupted, fall-line skiing fun, you can’t beat Moran. There are 6,000-foot lines that go from the summit down to the lakeshore.” The Moran Camp doesn’t require a résumé like the Live to Ski Camp does, but it still requires that skiers be expert and also supremely fit. “This camp isn’t training people to be ski alpinists; we just want to show strong skiers the best time of their lives,” says Billimoria. Also, the tented base camp will be “pretty plush. There aren’t too many places in the Tetons where you’ve got the luxury of a flat approach. But Moran has that, so we haul all sorts of amenities over,” Billimoria says.

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ADVENTURE | JAC K S ON HOL E , W YOMING

DRIES

ery big mountain skier wants to ski the Tetons. They are kind of without comparison. They’re certainly the greatest of all the accessible ranges in the U.S.,” Billimoria says. “Pair that level of terrain with the history of Exum Guides and also with skiers who have the desire and curiosity to learn how to safely explore serious mountains and you’ve got something unlike anything else offered anywhere.” Ski mountaineering has no single inventor or father, but, in the U.S., Bill Briggs, who first moved to Jackson Hole in the late 1950s, is pretty close. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he did first ski descents of the Middle Teton, South Teton, Mount Moran and Mount Owen. But it was his 1971 ski descent of the Grand Teton that really showed what was possible with the sport. In 2008, Briggs, who still lives in Jackson, was inducted into the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Closer to the present, few people have done more to promote and celebrate ski mountaineering in the Tetons than Steve Romeo, who, before his death in March 2012 at age 42 in an avalanche in Grand Teton National Park, blogged about ski mountaineering adventures big and small in the range on TetonAT. com. (Although no new “trip reports” are being added to the site, Romeo’s family and friends maintain its archives.) “He helped put the Tetons on the map for our generation as the premier destination in North America to test your skills as a ski mountaineer,” says Billimoria, who was a former ski partner of Romeo’s. This camp took its name exactly from Romeo’s motto, “Live to Ski.” “We wanted to be part of Steve’s legacy,” Billimoria says. Back on Buck, you’re past the section where a fall would take you over cliffs and about to enter the couloir that lets you ski through them. You feel like you’re doing nothing so much as living to ski. Pointing your skis into the 15-foot-wide swath of snow, you vaguely remember responsibilities and to-dos and meetings and annoyances, but those intrusions last a mere millisecond. You’ve still got nearly 3,000 feet of turns before you’re back in the real world … if you can ever fully be in it again after having had your eyes opened to what you’re capable of. In 2015, the Live to Ski Camp is May 2-5 and May 7-10. Exum recommends you submit an application (307-733-2297, www.exumguides.com) as early as possible.

LIVE TO SKI A skier heads down Buck Mountain, high above Jackson Hole.

Dina Mishev is Inspirato’s Editor who, after graduating from the Live to Ski Camp, traveled to the China/Pakistan border to climb and ski 24,757-foot Mustaghata. Her writing has appeared in Outside, National Geographic Traveler, The Washington Post and Sunset, among others.

Jackson Hole Members can reserve a cabin in the woods, just a five-minute drive from the base of the legendary Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski area. These luxurious residences

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have majestic views of the valley and mountains. Elk Meadow offers 3 bedrooms, plus a loft, and 3,700 square feet. Big Horn (shown here) has 3 bedrooms and 3,158 square feet of space. All residences come with a Teton Village parking pass. Those wanting to stay closer to the action at the base can choose from 3-bedroom luxury condos available at Hotel Terra or enjoy ski-in, ski-out access from the Crystal Springs Lodge.

Meredith Landino’s picks Inspirato Destination Concierge

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S SIGNATURE RESIDENCES AND STAYS IN JACKSON HOLE, TURN TO PAGE 119.

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HELI-SKIING: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort closes the lifts on April 5. Fortunately, the choppers and guides at Heli-Ski Jackson can take you to where the snow is still deep and untracked.

March 19-21, 2015 JACKSON HOLE RENDEZVOUS A free, 3-day music festival takes over the village. Past years saw Blues Traveler and Michael Franti hit the stage.

WILDLIFE SAFARI: From April 26 to June 5, Teton Science Schools offer 3-day/2-night wolf and bear watching expeditions in Yellowstone National Park.

May 16-25, 2015 MOUNTAIN MAN RENDEZVOUS Artisans and outdoorspeople take a step back in time at this annual festival highlighted by the candy cannon.

david stubbs

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS

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FA C E S | R I D G E W O O D , N E W J E R S E Y

RENAISSANCE WOMAN

KAREN LATIMER INSPIRATO MEMBER KAREN LATIMER, MD, defines the adage, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” Last fall, the family practitioner, former Good Morning America women’s health expert and mother of five spent four weeks writing the book Understanding Ebola: What the CDC Wants You to Know Now. “It’s a common-sense approach to rebut the media hype and hysteria over Ebola,” Latimer says. It was also something she managed to do during a vacation to Costa Rica. such as Ridgewood, New Jersey, and New Hyde Park, New York. Such productivity is nothing new to Latimer, who got her That led to a distribution and video content deal with AOL.com, start writing for her blog, YesFive.net, after the birth of her where she serves as its health and parenting expert. twins five years ago. “The name comes from my stock answer In between all her media work, she’s still “just” mom to her to people whenever I tell them I have five kids: ‘Yes, five.’ ” Her kids, who range in age from 5 to 13. “As I’m sure any parent writing covers the intersection of parenting and medicine, knows, it’s nonstop with everyone on their own schedule,” but it’s her inclusive tone that has made it a success. “I don’t Latimer says. “These days, the only time it seems like we’re all write from the perspective of ‘Dr. Latimer,’ ” she says. “What together and not stressed out is when we travel.” —G.D I try to do is write honestly about motherhood and let people know that we’re all going through the same thing.” With the success of her blog, she realized that The Inspirato Effect: “Since we joined Inspirato, I can Visiting New York City with Kids: “There are so where there was a need say that we’re traveling better and taking more advenmany great Broadway shows—Aladdin is currently my tures as a family. That’s because Inspirato does the prep fave. Make sure to do lunch before or dinner after a for information, she now work ahead of the trip. matinee at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, where the waitstaff had a platform to fill it. They find out whether the fence surrounding the cliffbreaks out into song. In 2013, she launched side house in Anguilla is tall enough that my youngest “Rent bikes for everyone at a shop near the Circle Line TipsfromTown.com, a can’t climb over it. They vet the guides and activities ferry (around 42nd St. and the West Side Hwy). You can ride hyper-local news and lifeavailable—on our trip to Costa Rica, there were no the bike path along the waterfront down to Battery Park and style site dedicated to and height or age restrictions on anything like zip lines, back, stopping at any of the playgrounds along the way. populated by contributors rafting or even surfing. It turned into the best family “The Children’s Museum of the Arts is down in SoHo from the small towns survacation we’d ever taken.” and is a wonderful hands-on experience for kids.” rounding New York City,

KAREN ON TRAVEL

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courtesy karen latimer/photography by martha

THE DOCTOR IS IN Family practitioner and Inspirato Member Dr. Karen Latimer with her five kids.

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PLACES | M AUI, HAWAII

RUNNERS’ HIGH T

MAUI, HAWAII

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owering high above Maui’s famous white sand beaches, above the island’s dense and tangled jungle, deep in the heart of Haleakalā National Park, lies a red, cinder-coned crater that is, possibly, the quietest spot on Earth. To reach this crater, runners (and hikers, of which there are arguably more) must first drive through the park’s entrance and navigate a series of switchbacks to the Keonehe’ehe’e Trailhead (elevation 9,740 feet). The trail is barely visible on the scoured surface of ancient volcanic lava, long cooled and broken into gravelly cinder. It climbs about 300 feet

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BY RACHEL WALKER

before descending into the crater. Run it, says Ben Auerbach, a Kaanapali, Maui-based fitness concierge who creates custom training plans for locals and visitors, and the experience will change your life. “When you look all around, it’s blue skies and sun, and you’re surrounded by brownish-reddish dirt gravel that insulates you from sound, and also by silversword plants, which are unique to Maui,” Auerbach says. “It doesn’t feel like you’re on Earth, really.” Otherworldly is a word that comes up often in regards to the trails on Maui, the “Valley Isle” of the Hawaiian chain.

frank j. wicker

From sea to summit, Maui’s running (and hiking) trails are the island’s best-kept secret.

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PLACES | M AUI, HAWAII

Roughly 728 square miles, Maui has Haleakalā on its eastern side; the West Maui Mountains are on its western half. This geographical uplift contributes to an extensive diversity of microclimates and an eclectic combination of beaches and jungles, rainforests, waterfalls and redwoods. And that, according to the island’s runners, is what makes Maui a trail runner’s—and hiker’s—paradise. “Nothing can compare to Maui,” says native Reid Hunter, 24. “It’s one of the most diverse islands, is beautiful year-round and has amazing views everywhere. You can start at sea level,

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climb up a mountain, turn around and all you see is crystal blue ocean and red dirt fields.” Hunter, an elite runner who logs 80 miles a week and dreams of competing in the 2020 Olympic Marathon, briefly left Maui for university in New Zealand, where he ran with some of that country’s top coaches. Upon graduating in 2012, he heeded Maui’s siren song, returned home and began training in earnest. Although Maui doesn’t draw a cadre of elite runners in the same way that California’s High Sierra or Colorado’s Rocky Mountains do, Hunter says the island’s got plenty of challeng-

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HIKES OF YOUR LIFE

Hikers on the Sliding Sands trail in Haleakalā National Park.

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PLACES | M AUI, HAWAII ing long-distance trails on which both runners and hikers can strengthen and train. Chief among them are the West Maui Mountains’ Village Trails, a steep and tangled network that snakes through an abandoned golf course. So rugged are these that, last October, they were home to the 2014 XTerra World Championship 5-kilometer race. Hunter not only won this notorious sufferfest, but also broke the course record by 42 seconds. But it’s not all rigorous and rough when it comes to Maui trails, says island native Matt Holton of Mauirunner.com. There are also mellow(ish) trails that seem to lead into

magical worlds bursting with color, vegetation and views you never imagined existed (Thompson Road, Waihee Ridge and Sugar Beach on map below). “There’s a timelessness to the trails here,” says Holton. Other trails are vibrant with color—purples and reds from the minerals and rocks (Skyline Trail). Still others are loaded with guava fruit and wild raspberries. “There is so much diversity,” says Holton. “The running here never gets boring.” Rachel Walker is Inspirato’s Associate Editor. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Skiing, among others.

WHERE TO GO? The hardest thing about running or hiking on Maui is deciding where to go. Here are some of the island’s most scenic and superlative trails. HALEAKALĀ CRATER

Located at 10,000 feet within Haleakalā National Park, the crater sits among a network of trails that are mainly “out and backs,” allowing runners and hikers to pick their distance. With no shade, high altitude and variable temperatures, don’t forget sunscreen, layers and water. INFO: nps.gov.hale; for general park information, call (808) 572-4400.

PACIFIC O CE AN

VILLAGE TRAILS KAPALUA COASTAL TRAIL

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WAIHEE RIDGE TRAIL 0

PIPIWAI TRAIL TO WAIMOKU FALLS

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10 miles

100 Miles

SUGAR BEACH

MAUI HALEAKALĀ CRATER

PIPIWAI TRAIL TO WAIMOKU FALLS

THOMPSON ROAD

KAHAKAPAO TRAIL SYSTEM

SKYLINE TRAIL AT POLIPOLI STATE PARK

This extensive trail system located in the Makawao Forest, a state preserve near the town of Haiku, offers miles of single track through thick evergreen forests. It’s also a popular mountain biking area. INFO: The Makawao Forest Reserve is at the end of Kahakapao Road, Makawao, Hawaii, and is managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

from 15 to 30 degrees in incline and were part of the 2014 XTerra World Championships. INFO: Located in the West Maui Mountains, the trails are accessible from the Kapalua Village Center.

KAPALUA COASTAL TRAIL

This northwest Maui beach run offers beautiful, picturesque views of the coastline. “Think Big Sur with warm water,” says Ben Auerbach, who leads guided runs and hikes on the trail. An added bonus: The trail, which is about 3 miles, also leads to a traditional Hawaiian burial ground and labyrinth. INFO: The trail runs through the Montage at Kapalua Bay.

THOMPSON ROAD Oprah lives here. Great rolling hills on a single-lane road. WAIHEE RIDGE TRAIL A 5-mile round-trip through lush forest. SUGAR BEACH Run on the sand.

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SKYLINE TRAIL AT POLIPOLI STATE PARK An 8-mile downhill

Looking for a burning hill workout? Look no further than the Village Trails, remnants of an old golf course now abandoned and overtaken with native vegetation. These steep trails range

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KAHAKAPAO TRAIL SYSTEM

A 4-mile round-trip route, the Pipiwai Trail forges through lush bamboo forest, climbs a total of 600 feet and leads to the 400-foot Waimoku Falls, which plunge through verdant cliffs to a pool. INFO: Located within Haleakalā National Park, the trailhead is on Highway 31 South from Hana, just past mile marker #42.

VILLAGE TRAILS

HAWAII

with great views.

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PLACES | M AUI, HAWAII

robert fried/viesti associates (left). courtesy xterra/jesse peters

RUN ON (Far Left) Hikers between Makamakaole Valley and Waihee Valley, West Maui. (Left) Maui runner Reid Hunter. (Below) The start of the 2014 XTerra World Championships.

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS ROAD TRIP: Start early for a spectacular 3-hour-plus drive to the eastern shore village of Hana, taking plenty of time to stop for photos, short hikes to check out waterfalls and shopping on the way there.

Maui Choose from residences in the pristine Montage Kapalua Bay Resort or at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S SIGNATURE RESIDENCES ON MAUI, TURN TO PAGES 120 (KAPALUA) AND 170 (WAILEA).

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Quentin Olivarez’s picks

Inspirato Personal Vacation Advisor

BOATING: Board the Hula Girl catamaran for a sunset cruise or a snorkel trip to a nearby reef. CHILD’S PLAY: The Old Lahaina Luau is a kid-friendly introduction to the traditional Hawaiian celebration. Kids as young as 10 can fly

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through the air with Kapalua Ziplines. Private surf lessons from a pro surfer can be arranged for the whole family.

Friday Nights, 2015 ART NIGHT LAHAINA Every Friday night, the galleries in Lahaina serve up live music and refreshments.

EAT: For breakfast, head to the Plantation House for its sunrise views. For sunset dining, the Merriman Kapalua is my favorite. The wait is long but worth it at Star Noodle, a local favorite. Sansei offers the best sushi on the island and a fun happy hour as well.

May 8-10, 2015 CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS Educators, artists, speakers and entertainers from around the world take over the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. June 3–7, 2015 MAUI FILM FESTIVAL Films from across the globe vie for the top prize.

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S P O R T SI N PO G RLTI IFNEG | L IPFAEL M| SPPARLI M N GSSP, RCI N A LG ISF O R N I A

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COURT SUMMONS Every March, Indian Wells hosts one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world. But rather than chaos, cozy is the rule at the BNP Paribas Open, where you could find yourself watching the world’s best players from only feet away, after you play a round of golf. BY LILA MARGARET

T PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

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he racket rips across the top of the tennis ball like a cracking whip, sending it rocketing, brutally fast and spinning ferociously, toward the net. Standing 10 feet from the edge of the court, I swear I can hear it whizzing through the air. As it clears the net—by many feet—the player who hit it, intense and powerful, finishes his swing. Most players finish forehands across their chest. This one, his palm nearly underneath the racket handle, has an above-the-head follow-through, like he’s a rodeo cowboy twirling a lasso. Before his shot drops,

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quickly, heavily and almost at the feet of the opposing player, he’s back to ready position, knees bent, stance wide and looking like he ate a heaping bowl of Eye of the Tiger for breakfast. I’m confused. This player, with bulging biceps—at least by tennis player standards—and beads of sweat escaping a headband knotted at the back of his unruly hair, is a dead ringer for Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard who was the youngest player in history to win a career Grand Slam (he did it by age 24), the winner of 14 Grand Slam titles (including nine French Opens) and,

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michael cummo/bnp paribas open

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since 2005, ranked as one of the top five players in the world. Spectators could never get so close to Rafa, though, could they? “As we’ve grown, one of the things we’ve tried to do with all of our facilities is to get people as close to the courts and action as possible,” says Steve Simon, the chief operating officer and tournament director for Indian Wells’ BNP Paribas Open, the annual two-week tournament widely considered the front-runner for the colloquial title of the Fifth Slam. The smallest court at the U.S. Open seats 2,500. At the BNP Paribas Open’s Stadium 9 there’s seating for 1,250. The crinkling of a wrapper in the back row can disrupt play. The 20 practice courts are even more intimate. “You can be as close as you’d be sitting across a desk from someone as you can be watching [Roger] Federer practice hitting balls,” Simon says. I guess it is Rafa I’m watching on one of Indian Wells Tennis Garden’s practice courts.

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LAST YEAR, WHEN MY BOYFRIEND SUGGESTED A MARCH trip to California’s Coachella Valley to watch the BNP Paribas Open, I had no idea what I was getting into, other than the valley’s spectacular late-winter weather—seemingly always 80 degrees and sunny. A newish tennis player preferring to play rather than spectate, I had previously seen parts of the four Majors: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open. But always on television. And always only parts. I’d get so inspired, I’d text a friend and we’d head for the courts ourselves before the match I had been watching ended. “Watching in person is different,” explained my boyfriend, a lifelong tennis player who records matches on television and watches in person as often as possible. He said that when he’d been at the BNP Paribas Open before, he’d often be on the grounds for upwards of 12 hours. A day. For several days in a row. Researching all of the things to do in and around the valley—Palm Springs’ great mid-century modern design

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SIT BACK AND RELAX Alexandr Dolgopolov plays Milos Raonic in the quarterfinal of the 2014 BNP Paribas Open.

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Rafael Nadal on the Indian Wells practice courts.

stores and home tours, fabulous hiking, a scenic tram, spas, Joshua Tree National Park is nearby—I doubted I’d watch 12 hours of tennis one day, much less multiple days. We were in the valley for four days and I never made it further from Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which was purpose-built in 2000 to host the tournament, than where we stayed. When you’ve got the freedom to wander around 20 practice courts and in and out of nine stadiums and to rest in between matches on soft, well-manicured lawns, watching the world’s best tennis players in person is graciously all-consuming. The BNP Paribas Open (most people call it Indian Wells after the town it is held in) draws most of the talent pool—there’s a 96-player singles draw for both men and women—that shows up at the U.S. Open or Wimbledon later in the year. It doesn’t have Grand Slam crowds, though. Look past the stadiums and it does have snaggle-toothed peaks—some snow-capped—rising 10,000 feet into a Georgia O’Keeffe desert sky. It also has an army of over 1,200 volunteers whose primary goal is to make the tournament the best possible experience for both players and spectators. Stadium 2, added last year, doesn’t seem to have a bad seat in the house and does have an outpost of Nobu. Of course, Nobu over-

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looks the court; it’s also a great place to spot players. “The players love to eat at Nobu,” says Kris Gerring, the volunteer manager of the players’ lounge since 2000. “They go there all the time.” And all of this is in a laid-back, resort destination. Golf at one of the valley’s 120+ courses or hike on San Jacinto Peak in the morning and watch tennis all afternoon and evening. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, there’s no other tennis tournament like it in the world. That was the idea from the beginning. “When it was first developed, it was an extremely quaint event located in a beautiful resort,” Simon says. “The uniqueness of it at the time was that you could enjoy a world-class tournament in an idyllic setting and never have to get in the car.” That was in the early and mid-80s, when 30,000 people annually came to watch pros play at the La Quinta Hotel & Racquet Club. Even in 1987, when the tournament moved to the 350-room, 10-acre Grand Champions Resort Hotel, where there were 12 courts, including a 10,000seat stadium, it felt wonderfully small. “We could have stayed at the Grand Champions and kept on as this quaint, intimate event,” Simon says. “But we wanted to pursue growth opportunities and had confidence we could do that while maintaining the sense of intimacy that makes us special.”

billie weiss/bnp paribas open. danita delimont/getty (right).

SPORTING LIFE | PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

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SPORTING LIFE | PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

GRAND SLAM SETTING The San Jacinto Mountains rise more than 10,000 feet above the tournament’s home in the Coachella Valley.

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SPORTING LIFE | PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

ONES TO WATCH

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FANDOM Fans line up to get players’ autographs.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden was completed in 2000 and, at 54 acres, has the same footprint as the U.S. Open site, the National Tennis Center. On March 8 of last year, when the BNP Paribas Open set its new single-day attendance record, 31,764, the only line I had to wait in was three minutes, for a frozen lemonade. From no more than 20 feet away, I was able to watch Rafa, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dmitrov hitting on the practice courts. Checking out the latter, a towering Bulgarian whose one-handed backhand, among other parts of his game, is almost a mirror of Federer’s, I think we had the bleachers all to ourselves. With a general admission ticket, you could wander in and out of all nine stadiums, watching Kei Nishikori, Flavia Pennetta (who went on to win the women’s title) and Tommy Robredo. In the smaller stadiums with no assigned seating, you could often score the seats of your choice—I liked front-row baseline center, especially during Aussie Sam Stosur’s match. Television does not do justice to her kick serve, heavy forehand or muscled shoulders.

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AFTER ITS MOVE TO THE TENNIS GARDEN, GROUPS in the Middle East and Asia offered to buy the tournament for enormous amounts of money, but the owners, determined to keep the event in the Coachella Valley, resisted. The tournament needed investment, but partners held out for someone who would carry on their legacy of continuous improvement here. In 2009, they sold to Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and an adrenaline and tennis junkie worth upwards of $50 billion. Under Ellison’s ownership, the tournament became the only one in the world to provide Hawk-Eye technology, used by players to challenge calls, on every match court and for every match played. “We’ve always said here that if you’re doing the same thing you did last year, you’re going backwards,” Simon says. “We don’t want to do that to fans or players.”

harry how/getty images

“For the true tennis fan who really wants to see as many players as they can, the early part of the event, especially the middle weekend, is a tremendous time,” tournament director Steve Simon says. “That’s when there’s the most energy and the entire site is alive and activated. All nine of our stadium courts are up. All 20 of our practice courts. The entire site comes alive, and there is so much to watch. But later matches can have amazing theater.” Whether you make it on Simon’s recommended weekend (March 13-16 this year) or want to hit the finals, here’s who he has his eyes on and the matches he’d love to see: F “There’s no question we’d love to see Roger [Federer] and Rafa play again. F [Juan Martín] del Potro is a favorite here. It’d be great if he was healthy. I’d love to see him have another semifinal match with [Novak] Djokovic, which was a very special match two years ago. F Maria [Sharapova] and Vika Azarenka have played some very dynamic matches together through the years; that’d be a great repeat. F It would be fun to see some of the new stars have a great event: Kei Nishikori and, on the ladies’ side, Genie Bouchard. She is coming along and has a lot of star power. Maybe she can flourish and break through here.”

Lila Margaret writes about sports, food and design.

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PALETTES OF THE BALTIC SEA

BALTIC SEA CRUISE 2015 From the stately palaces of Stockholm to the peaceful Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Inspirato invites you to behold Northern Europe’s immense beauty. Join us in July of 2015 for a customized, all-inclusive journey aboard Silversea’s Silver Whisper.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE, CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SUITE TODAY! 855.481.5405 | WWW.INSPIRATO.COM/BALTICCRUISE

Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.


SPORTING LIFE | PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS SOAR: Climb into the seat of a 1940 Stearman Biplane and take off for an open cockpit tour of the valley and desert.

Palm Springs Make yourself at home in the 5,500-square-foot, 5-bedroom Villa Majestic, located in the exclusive Indian Canyon neighborhood.

Ashley Rowe’s picks Inspirato Destination Concierge

GLIDE: Take the Aerial Tramway up the side of San Jacinto Peak to 8,516 feet, where cool pine forests—and even snow—await. MODERN LOVE: The Uptown Design District on North Palm Canyon Drive is the epicenter of mid-century modern furniture and design.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S PALM SPRINGS SIGNATURE RESIDENCES, TURN TO PAGE 137.

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EAT: Kick off your day with brunch at Spencer’s with an order of potato pancakes served with sour cream and applesauce. Dine with the jet set at the sleek Workshop Kitchen + Bar where the attention to detail tastes delicious. For something classic with a sunset view, book a table on the patio at Copley’s, housed in Cary Grant’s former estate. The fish at Pacifica Seafood in nearby Palm Desert is delivered fresh off the boat every day. The view from their rooftop dining area is sublime.

March 30-April 5, 2015 ANA INSPIRATION GOLF TOURNAMENT The first LPGA Major of the season. April 10-12 & 17-19, 2015 COACHELLA MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL Headliners in the past have included Arcade Fire, Madonna, Radiohead and Outkast. April 24-26, 2015 STAGECOACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw headline.

from left: eddie perlas/actionplus; matthew stockman/getty images

THE STARS ARE ALL OUT (Top) Maria Sharapova serves at the 2014 BNP Paribas Open. (Inset) Fans get a look at Roger Federer practicing.

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INSPIRED VAC AT I O N S Imagine privileged access to a growing collection of luxury vacation residences, custom experiences, VIP events and more. Imagine a trusted advisor committed to making each trip you take better than the last.

Imagine being known and recognized every time you travel. Now imagine it all in a private club that inspires you to live life’s best moments and create lasting memories more easily and often than you ever thought possible.

TALK WITH US TODAY. VACATION TOMORROW. 888.546.5008 I WWW.INSPIRATO.COM

Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.



STYLE & DESIGN | SPRING

JEEPERS PEEPERS The season’s best sunglasses will keep you covered (literally) and looking good. style by georgia alexia benjou photography by christopher d. thompson

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arly spring heralds the return of warmer weather and longer days. With more sunlight on the way, chic sunglasses are an essential style element. A pair of shades not only shields your eyes from the sun’s damaging rays, but also frames your face and showcases your personality. For spring 2015, sunglass trends include retro-inspired styling to modern patterns and high-tech materials. Melding the best of both worlds is the Persol PO 3103S. For this spring, the Italian heritage brand updated its classic with an antique finish, cutting-edge polarized lenses, which block glare, and photopolar lenses that darken with the intensity of light. What elements remain unchanged? Their signature silver warrior’s arrow at the temple and sporty style, of course. $290, AVAILABLE FROM SUNGLASS HUT

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STYLE & DESIGN | SPRING

WOMEN’S

SUNGLASSES

MYKITA JOSEPPA SUNGLASSES

The gold accents and fine cutouts give this butterfly shape frame by MYKITA a high glam quotient, but it’s the lightweight, matte stainless-steel frame in rich, earthy brown that make it on-trend for spring. $520, MYKITA SHOP NEW YORK, MYKITA.COM

VINTAGE CARTIER CABRIOLET SUNGLASSES

Vintage-inspired sunglasses are all the rage right now, but why not go for the real deal? This pair by Cartier is an original from the 1980s, but the Art Deco influences reference the 1930s— one of the fine jewelry house’s most distinctive design periods. $1,300, AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT DEPUIS1924.COM

THIERRY LASRY LIPPY SUNGLASSES

Lasry brings color and pattern trends into play with his futuristic take on the classic wayfarer shape through the use of a feminine, speckled frame. $450, VISIT THIERRYLASRY.COM

FOR LOCATIONS

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STYLE & DESIGN | SPRING

MEN’S

SUNGLASSES

RAY-BAN RB 4210

The color blue is a huge trend in menswear for spring, so leave it to Ray-Ban to create a sporty but elegant matte navy frame. Their Light Ray features a superthin acetate front—just 2.2mm—and ultra-light titanium temples, making this sunglass practically weightless. $210, AVAILABLE AT SUNGLASS HUT

GARRETT LEIGHT CALIFORNIA OPTICAL DILLON 50 DEMI BLONDE/PURE G15

Although Los Angeles-based GLCO only launched in October 2012, the line has quickly become recognizable for its timeless, laid-back style. The blonde frame and green tinted lenses give the Dillon serious retro flair. $315, WWW.GARRETTLEIGHT.COM

TOM FORD COLIN AVIATOR SUNGLASSES

Ford modernizes a classic round aviator style with blue mirrored lenses (yes, they’re back). $360, EYEPIECESOFVAIL.COM

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MEMBER RECOMMENDED

CHANGE OF PLANS Not even Mother Nature could stop this storybook wedding. BY CASEY JO AND MATT OZUNA

VAIL, COLORADO

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adam charles george (2)

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e had been dating for about a year, and we decided to go on Inspirato’s first Mediterranean cruise in the summer of 2013 along the Italian Riviera. That’s when I (Matt) got the idea to propose. I carried that ring all the way to Rome and finally, at the first port of call, Cinque Terre, five Italian villages that are best visited via water taxi, I proposed atop the castle at Vernazza. Thankfully, Casey said, “Yes!” The rest of the trip was a blur, but what neither of us expected was to make such strong friendships with other couples on the cruise, people who we’ve since visited and even invited to our wedding. Because Inspirato played an important role in our engagement, we worked with them to find a location for our big day, settling on the Esperanza Resort down in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for the week of September 28 with the wedding on Friday, October 3. Working with our Personal Vacation Advisor, we booked 10 Inspirato homes on the property for a week, including Inspirato’s grandest property, Villa Buenaventura, right on the water with its own pool. We had a deep-sea fishing trip on a yacht planned for one day, another was just a day at the beach with snorkeling available nearby, and another day we had scheduled a sunset cruise with karaoke. On Thursday night, the day before the wedding, we were going to have a catered barbecue at Buenaventura. Then on Sunday, September 14, Hurricane Odile slammed into the peninsula. The next day, we got a call from Inspirato explaining that they were monitoring the situation down in Mexico. On Tuesday morning, Inspirato called again and told us that with a little more than 10 days until our guests were supposed to arrive in Mexico, it wasn’t looking good. Without us even having to ask, they then provided us with two alternative sites for our wedding that could host all our guests in Inspirato properties and still allow us to keep our wedding on schedule: Punta de Mita, Mexico, or Vail, Colorado. We discussed postponing the wedding, but realized that all our guests had already taken the time off to go down to Mexico. They had committed and so would we. By Wednesday, we made the decision to move the wedding to Vail and alerted our 70-odd guests. Within 48 hours, we heard back that

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MR. & MRS. OZUNA Newlyweds Casey Jo and Matt Ozuna tied the knot last October in Vail, Colorado.

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everyone had changed their travel arrangements. When we made the move, Inspirato assigned a team of people to help us pull it off who buoyed and comforted us with their positive attitude. Our Personal Vacation Advisor, Katie Earnest, sent us a list of wedding venues to choose from, and we picked an outdoor ceremony among the aspens at the Lodge at Cordillera. Katie found us a day-of wedding planner to handle logistics on our day since the site was a short drive from Inspirato’s residences at the Solaris right in Vail Village. As in Baja, we put together a week’s worth of activities for our guests. There was a day of skeet shooting for the guys followed by ATV riding through the mountains. We took a multihour river float down the Colorado River with 35 people. We had a bowling night at the alley located in the Solaris, and instead of a karaoke night, we went to bingo night at the Red Lion Inn, which was within walking distance of our residences. Taking the place of the barbecue on the beach was a dinner at a local pizza parlor, Vendetta’s. By luck, it was Restaurant Week in Vail, which made it a lot of fun to go out and try different places and foods. During the week, everyone could break up into smaller groups if they wanted to go try something

HERE COMES THE BRIDE (Top) Casey Jo makes her way to the altar at Cordillera on a gorgeous fall day in the Rockies. (Right) The extended Ozuna family in the village at Vail.

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from top: adam charles george, christopher d. thompson

MEMBER RECOMMENDED

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clockwise from top: solaris, christopher d. thompson, provided by matthew ozuna (2), solaris

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different. For an event that was pulled together in two weeks, it was surprisingly easy and stress-free. We got to experience the best of all of Colorado’s weather that week, from sunny and 75 degrees to a light dusting of snow, but on our wedding day, it was bright sunshine and in the mid-60s. And the aspens were at their peak golden color. In the end, we think Vail was better than Baja could’ve been since everyone was together in the same spot, and we could walk into the village for a bite to eat or to shop. But what made it so special for us was how everyone pulled together to make it happen. In two weeks, we moved a destination wedding for 70 from the beach to the mountains. There’s no way we could’ve done that without Inspirato. They saved our wedding and let us focus on the most special day of our lives. And given what we went through, the moment we saw each other at the ceremony, after all the last-minute changes, was that much more wonderful. We were deeply touched by the entire experience, by the resilience of our close friends and family, and by the setting itself. We are so grateful to be part of the Inspirato family.

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MOUNTAIN HIGHS (Clockwise from top) Guests stayed at the Solaris in the heart of Vail; Casey Jo and Matt with their Inspirato Personal Vacation Advisor Katie Earnest; an ATV tour took the group deep into the mountains; the weather stayed warm for a 35-person float trip down the Colorado River; walking access to Vail’s best restaurants and shops made it easy for the Ozunas’ guests to explore on their own.

— AS TOLD TO GRANT DAVIS

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D DOWN U B L E

Sophisticated cuisine, cafe culture, glamorous beaches—it must be the Euro-centric charm of St. Martin.

By Aaron Gulley Photography by Jen Judge

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WATER WORLDS (Left) The infinity pool at La Samanna Resort. (Right) Pool and view from an Inspirato villa. INSPIRATO.COM

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R RAIN BEGINS TO FAUCET FROM THE SKY MINUTES after I’ve landed on St. Martin. It’s light at first, then steady enough that at the car rental agency I don’t bother walking around the vehicle to inspect for damage. “Don’t worry, it never rains more than a few minutes,” says the rental agent. My few days on this Caribbean island won’t be what I expect, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s still pouring 30 minutes later when I reach my Inspirato villa, a whitewash, 4,600-square-foot, plantation-style mansion with a red tile roof and huge infinity pool that peers out over a cliff to the Caribbean. Though the views from the patio are painted in slates and grays, it’s stunning nonetheless, and I muse to my Inspirato concierge, Steven Calder, that one could probably happily spend an entire week on the patio eating seafood and watching the water. “Never mind that. There’s plenty to do,” Steven assures. He describes top-notch snorkeling on Pinel Island, near St. Martin’s northern tip, and catamaran trips around the island.

Islands. That plus, in a space about half the size of West Palm Beach, Florida, you can tick off not just one, but two European countries. By some strange historical machinations, the island is divided. To the north is French St. Martin, a collectivity of France with the same status as, say, Alsace or Burgundy. And Dutch Sint Maarten sits to the south, an independent country that, together with Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands, forms the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Few places can boast so much exotic bang-for-the-buck, especially just three hours from Miami.

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elmond La Samanna, the resort where the villa is located, is situated on Baie Longue, a ribbon of silky white sand that curves to the horizon. The villas, eight of them in all, perch atop a milky white, limestone promontory at the southeast end of the beach. Once the storm moves out, iguanas materialize from the rocks and alight in my villa’s backyard, a grassy verge as neatly manicured as a polo field. I notice

By some strange historical machinations, the island is divided. To the north is French Saint Martin, a collectivity of France with the same status as, say, Alsace or Burgundy. And Dutch Sint Maarten sits to the south, an independent country that, together with Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands, forms the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The difference is like the Florida Keys (St. Martin) versus Disneyland (Sint Maarten), except here the two are 20 minutes apart. There’s shopping in Philipsburg and Marigot, nightclubs on the Dutch side, idyllic beaches on the French half and countless dining options in the sleepy fishing village of Grand Case. “And the forecast is better tomorrow.” I’ve come for here for the island’s perfect, crystalline beaches, quaint bistro-style restaurants with Michelin stars and a healthy dose of vitamin D for the early winter doldrums. The beaches, the food, the tax-free shopping, the nightlife—that’s why you visit this little drop of land at the head of the Leeward

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ST. MARTIN STYLE Marigot, the main town on the French side of the island; Niçoise salad island-style; local juice and rum.

them as I explore the property. Eventually I take the iguanas’ lead and switch my internal clock to languid island time and sit down in the gathering sun. Slowly, my American-bred need to “do something!” melts away. For hours, these prehistoric-looking beasts, some as long and thick as missiles, loiter motionless. I, too, begin to nod in and out of consciousness, easing down from the stress and frenetic work routine, and it feels good. Nothing like life lessons from small-brained reptiles. Later, I head down to the beach, Baie Longue, and continue my

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DIVE IN A pool overlooking the Caribbean at one of Inspirato’s villas. INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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SETTLE IN Inside one of Inspirato’s Signature Residences at La Samanna. INSPIRATO.COM

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reverie, loitering in the sun. It’s a stunning strand. Except for a few guests snoozing under hotel umbrellas, the seaside is empty and broad and pristine, and it feels like my own private paradise. In the evening there’s a rum tasting at La Samanna’s cave, which houses the biggest wine collection in the entire Caribbean, some 12,000 bottles. But I’m not here in the dark, cool cellar for the wine. Instead, sommelier Christian Mirande lines up bottles of rum from light to dark and pours snifters of the sweet nectar as he explains the differences in the casks and aging processes. When I ask him about the best rum from St. Martin, he laughs. “We have no sugar cane,” he says, though he adds that there’s a local woman named Ma Doudou who’s gained notoriety for her rum infusions. “But the Caribbean’s finest rums come from Martinique.” He pours a taste of the La Samanna-branded rum, produced by Martinique distillery Habitation St. Étienne. Aged in port casks, the spirit is sweet and spicy and tinged with cherry overtones, and it finishes like good bourbon. I dine at La Samanna’s Trellis restaurant that evening, where chef Gil Dumoulin prepares French classics with modern and Caribbean influences. The marinated herring appetizer, for instance, is a hearty, comfort-food mainstay of Alsace and northern France, but here it’s deconstructed into tiny bites of tart, succulent fish offset by creamy, bright periwinkle Vitelotte potatoes. And the foie gras, some of the richest and smoothest I’ve ever tried, is balanced by a surprising mango chutney. “The French take influences that we find in these places, like conch and lobster and creole spices, and we make them our own,” Dumoulin tells me after the meal. I ask him where he would suggest for some distinctly local Caribbean cuisine, and he mentions a few French spots in the north shore town of

Grand Case: l’Estaminet, Auberge Gourmande and Ocean 82. “As for the food of St. Martin … Bof!” he says, with that typical French cheek puff. “There’s not so much tradition here.”

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hree days after I arrive, I venture out to Philipsburg, capital of the Dutch side and the island’s only anchorage for cruise ships. Steven says there’s not much more to see than a bit of shopping, but it feels important to see the island’s first city. The visit, however, is short-lived. Back Street is a patchwork of colorfully painted but run-down Caribbean tenements, while Front Street is dominated by curio trinket shops catering to the cruise ships that dock in the marina at the east end of town. The stores are worse: There’s the Yoda Guy Movie Museum, the Dirty Sanchez Crew Bar and Tees

AROUND THE ISLAND A surfer catches the first morning waves at Prune Beach; La Samanna’s wine cellar; Kali’s Beach Bar; an iguana on Pinel Island.

In the evening there’s a rum tasting at La Samanna’s cave, which houses the biggest wine collection in the entire Caribbean, some 12,000 bottles. In the dark, cool cellar, sommelier Christian Mirande lines up bottles of rum from light to dark, including a La Samanna-branded one from Martinique. By The Seas, where I watch a man buy a T-shirt that reads, “My parents said I could become anything, so I became an asshole. — St. Martin.” On the way out of town, a threadbare Rasta with salt-and-pepper dreads on a Segway with a license plate that reads “We Be Jammin’” circles me twice. Philipsburg, check. I can’t get back to French St. Martin fast enough. On Steven’s advice, however, I stop at Sunset Bar & Grill on Maho Bay, halfway between Philipsburg and La Samanna. It’s set on the beach at one end of the airport runway, whose proximity to the water jangled my nerves when I arrived. The

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS SHOP: The Open Market in Marigot runs every Wednesday and Saturday and features an array of local foods and mementoes.

St. Martin Settle into a cliffside residence with 4 bedrooms, all within the luxurious La Samanna resort. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S ST. MARTIN SIGNATURE RESIDENCES, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 157.

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Steven Calder’s picks Inspirato Destination Concierge

EAT: The locals go to Enoch’s or Rosemary’s in Marigot for some of the best barbecue in the Caribbean. Every Thursday night is salsa night at Calmos Café, a casual and easy place for a night out with friends. For a romantic dinner, La Cigale is the place to go, right on the beach and serving some

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of the best French food on the island (think duck parmentier and lamb). BEACHES: Long Bay, Plum Bay and Happy Bay are wonderful, while you can enjoy great attention and food at Pinel Island. But don’t hesitate to charter a boat to take you to Tintamarre, where you can get away from everything. From La Samanna you can book a snorkeling trip to Creole Rock.

January 30-February 18, 2015 CARNIVAL Don a disguise and hit the streets to sing, dance and celebrate the annual bacchanal. Not to be outdone, the Dutch side of the island hosts its own Carnival, with concerts and parades. March 5-8, 2015 HEINEKEN REGATTA More than 300 sailboats, ranging from family cruisers to sleek racing yachts, meet for this week of races and parties.

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FRENCH WITH A TWIST Turbot at La Samanna’s Trellis restaurant. INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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BEACH PARADISE La Samanna’s Baie Longue. INSPIRATO.COM

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place is a tourist dive, crawling with snockered holidaymakers, and I can’t really understand why Steven suggested it. Then a Boeing 737 buzzes the beach at around 50 feet off the ground, the entire place erupts with cheers like it’s New Year’s Eve, and the good, unpretentious humor of the place sinks in. I order an icy Presidente and one of the island’s specialties, BBQ chicken, which turns out to be pretty good, and settle in for the show. I order another beer and watch the parade of planes come and go, so close and so loud that I feel like I’m on the open deck of an aircraft carrier, albeit one with a bar. It’s fun, but somehow I can’t help but think that Dutch Sint Maarten got the short end of the island division.

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fficially, the island was divided by treaty on March 23, 1648, but lore surrounds the split. The story goes that the French and the Dutch each selected a representative, both of whom were lined up back-to-back at one extent of the island and told to walk— not run—in opposite directions along the shoreline. The dividing line would be drawn from the start point to the spot where they met on the other side of the island. The Frenchman must have been a better walker as his country ended up with 53 square kilometers to Holland’s 34, though, in typical Gallic fashion, the French credited their man’s reliance on French wine during the endeavor versus the Dutchman’s gin. I go to the island museum in Marigot, just 10 minutes from La Samanna, to corroborate that story, but it’s closed. Instead I end up at Aux Fine Gourmandises, a bustling bakery with a quiet terrace and buttery pain au chocolat. Already I like the French side better. Compared to brassy Sint Maarten, this side is bucolic and green and pleasantly scruffy. Baie Orientale, which is billed as the island’s St. Tropez, indeed feels like a little town in South France, complete with sidewalk cafes on a pebbly square. After a coffee on the beach and a stroll along the heavily umbrellaed seaside, I head north to Pinel Island. This undeveloped islet at St. Martin’s northeast corner is a short cruise from the mainland; the fact that it’s only accessible by boat lends it a sense of quiet and exclusivity. Not much more is here than a couple of restaurants, a nice spot for snorkeling, a scattering of umbrellas, and—blessedly—no Wi-Fi. I assume the lounge chair position, take the occasional dip in bathtub-warm water the color of Bombay Sapphire bottles, fin around with a few parrotfish on the point, and snack on conch fritters and more barbecue. It’s a perfect escape, the sort of warm repose you daydream about on cold, gray winter days back home. Over the next few days, French St. Martin reinforces its ascendancy over the Dutch side. The difference is like the Florida Keys versus Disneyland, except here the two are 20 minutes apart. One afternoon, I spend several hours buzzing my little rental car up and down precipitous, pocked asphalt roads in search of the rum mistress Ma Doudou and finally find her storefront on an unlikely residential street. Her infusions may not be as subtle as La Samanna’s HSM distillation, but the breezy claptrap pink and lime green shack location make

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it worth the adventure. And later, in Grand Case, a mostly blue-collar fishing village with a smattering of sweet, refined French restaurants along its waterfront avenue, I eat seafood at a white-linen table cantilevered over the water at Ocean 82, a slick fish house with a flashy lobster tank out front. Both spots mix French chic with Caribbean insouciance—a mélange just as Dumoulin described. But I get the definitive view on St. Martin at Friar’s Bay, just down the coast from Grand Case, at a long-running beach bar headed by a chilled-out owner named Kali. It’s a poky place, with palm trees and fences painted the ubiquitous Rasta red-yellow-and-green on a white sickle of beach, the sort of spot that comes alive at night. Kali, a 50-something St. Martin native with unkempt dreads and a calm face, is at the bar, and he hands me a beer as we talk and watch the surf. “Happiness

SEA TIME Walking along Baie Orientale.

Baie Longue is a stunning strand. Except for a few clients snoozing under hotel umbrellas, the seaside is empty and broad and pristine, and it feels like your own private paradise. isn’t about travelin’ all over and partyin’ every day and eatin’ at all ’dem restaurants,” he tells me. “Happiness is just bein’ here, starin’ at the ocean.” I didn’t even have to ask.

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he next day, Steven offers to get a reservation for me at l’Estaminet. It would be the perfect way to wrap up my plans to climb to the top of the island’s highest point, 1,391-foot Pic Paradis. But ruminating on Kali’s words, I call it all off. Sure, I could do a big hike, traipse to some other picturesque shores, have another atmospheric meal in Grand Case—but it’s unlikely that I’ll find any beach better than Baie Longue nor any view more relaxing than the one from my villa. So why not just stay in? All these years I’ve been traveling in search of the perfect destination. It’s easy to land on a new place and scurry around chasing experiences, as if you can run down tranquility the way you check off a to-do list back home. But sometimes vacation means a beautiful place to stay, good food and the simple act of disconnecting. At La Samanna, I have all of those things, plus the best view on the sea anywhere on the island. If it hadn’t been for the storm and the iguanas, I might never have realized it. I leave the villa only once on my final day on the island, picking up pain au chocolat at the bakery and a couple of lobsters from a crusty old islander at the market in Marigot. Before heading back to my private patio, where I’ll grill the seafood myself and eat it from the pool while watching the sea, I swing by the grocery and grab a couple of bottles of rosé from Bandol. Who knows the truth of it, but French wine might just be the key to everything on St. Martin. Santa Fe, New Mexico-based Aaron Gulley writes for Outside, Virtuoso Life and Islands magazines.

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FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE

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From warm days to white nights, caviar, canals, fine architecture and one of the world’s best art museums, what’s not to love about summer in Russia’s cultural capital? BY MAYA PRITSKER here is no city like Saint Petersburg, former capital of the Russian Empire, home of tsars and intellectual and artistic elites, witness to revolutions and inspiration for great Russian art, music, novels and poems, including Pushkin’s Bronze Horseman, Gogol’s Nevsky Prospect and Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. On the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg’s old glory—its baroque and neoclassical palaces, churches and monuments—has been preserved, as has its place as Russia’s cultural capital. Today this city of about 5 million bursts with life, especially during its famous summer White Nights, when darkness never falls and instead buildings, bridges and parks are submersed in the soft light of a perpetual twilight.

viacheslav lopatin

I will never forget my first trip here, back when it was called Leningrad. I was a 16-year-old Moscovite and, even though my visit lasted just six days, fell in love with the city right away. Each day, the schedule was the same: Mornings and afternoons were spent at either the Hermitage or the Russian Museum. Evenings were music or theater: the Mariinsky for ballet and opera, the Alexandrinsky for drama, the Grand Hall of the Philharmonic or, for chamber music, a smaller hall inside a palace. In between, I wandered the city: the wide, arrow-straight and always-busy Nevsky Prospect, which leads to the Palace Square, or the embankments of the Neva or smaller rivers and canals like Moika, Fontanka or Griboyedov. It was January, and the cold, dark and snow didn’t matter. St. Petersburg—the name changed back to the original in 1991 when the Soviet Union was on the brink of collapse—pulls you in. I have been returning to the city again and again, visiting from Moscow and later from New York, in spring and summer, during its White Nights and in winter again. I go to the southern bank of the Neva River, where the neoclassical Admiralty, the baroque Winter Palace and the Bronze Horseman are located. Walking slowly, you get beautiful views over to Vasilievsky Island’s Rostral Columns and some of the city’s oldest buildings. I absorb the spaciousness—the enormous sky and wide waters—and the harmony between nature and architecture. After midnight sometimes I join the crowds watching some of the 21 drawbridges rise for large ships to pass on the Neva. You can do a canal cruise, passing under several of

St. Petersburg’s 300-some bridges. Or visit a museum; there are more than 200, dedicated to military, science, vodka, toys, bread, literature, theater, musical instruments and great writers, composers and painters whose lives and work were connected with the city. Some of the latter are the restored residences of these artists—from Pushkin to Akhmatova and Rimsky-Korsakov. Take a stroll in the Summer Gardens of the tsar who imagined and built this city. Younger than Philadelphia, St. Petersburg was born in 1703 by the will and determination of the energetic, tyrannical and visionary Peter the Great. He wanted Russia to have a strong naval post on the Baltic; the city was built on dozens of swampy, wooded islands in the estuary of the Neva River on the Gulf of Finland. By 1704, Tsar Peter I was referring to St. Petersburg as Russia’s capital, although the capital wasn’t officially moved here from Moscow until 1712. After laying the foundation for the Saint Petersburg fortress on Zayachy Ostrov (Hare Island) on St. Peter’s Day (hence the city’s name) in 1703, construction began on the city’s first residence, Peter’s home, a cabin that he built largely on his own. Carefully preserved, it is now a museum. Early in his reign (Peter became the sole ruler of Russia in 1696), Peter traveled for months around Europe, studying everything from carpentry and shipbuilding in Holland to city planning in England. He was eager to build a true European city (like his favorite Amsterdam) as a symbol of a new, Westernized, modernized and powerful Russia. Unlike medieval Moscow, St. Petersburg would be built methodically, according to a plan, from bricks and stone, in the newest

ICONIC ONIONS Unusual among the city’s predominantly baroque and neoclassical architecture, the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood takes inspiration from medieval Russian churches like Moscow’s St. Basil. Built as a memorial to Emperor Alexander II, who was fatally wounded on this spot by Russian terrorists in 1881, the church offers Sunday services and is also a museum.

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European styles. Neither expense nor human force was spared: Many thousands of serfs, prisoners of war and Russian soldiers labored and died building the city. Foreign craftsmen, builders and architects were recruited. The Italians Domeico Trezzini and Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli were among the first to work here, planning streets, canals and buildings in the decorous Petrine Baroque style. In 1716, Frenchman Jean-Baptiste-Alexandre Le Blond became the first Architect General of Saint Petersburg. Le Blond’s plan was for Vasilievsky Island to be the city center. Strelka (Arrow), the Stock Exchange, the Kunstcamera (the first Russian museum), government offices called “Twelve Collegia” and a grid of straight streets and canals were built there. But, because the island frequently flooded, the population gravitated to a bank on the mainland where the Admiralty—the shipyard and fortress—had been built earlier. In 1719, the German Nikolas Fridrich Gerbel designed a plan for that part of the city: five ray-like avenues (including Nevsky Prospect, the main “artery” of the city today) that converged at the Admiralty. Gerbel’s plan is the city’s backbone today. After Peter’s death in 1725, subsequent rulers and governments left their marks, from Empress Elizabeth’s baroque-styled Winter Palace and Smolny Cathedral to Empress Catherine II’s neoclassical Russian Academy of Sciences, Academy of Fine Arts, Russia’s first public library and Falconet’s Bronze Horseman. Through the centuries, the city experienced floods and fires, and during the Leningrad Siege in the early 1940s, bombing and destruction. Remarkably its architectural and art glories remained mostly intact. In 1990, UNESCO added the city center to its list of World Heritage Sites. “In the history of urbanism, St. Petersburg is no doubt the only example of a vast project that retained all its logic despite the rapid succession of styles,” UNESCO wrote. St. Petersburg is no longer the official capital of Russia, but there’s no doubt it remains the country’s cultural capital. INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


MIXING STYLES An architectural time capsule of the city, several epochs blend at Palace Square: the baroque playfulness of the Winter Palace, commissioned by Empress Elizabeth and designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the mid-17th century; the neoclassical style of the General Staff Building (1819-29, by Carlo Rossi); and the granite Alexander Column (1830-34, by August de Montferrand).

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS

Baltic Cruise This summer, Inspirato Members can board the the Silver Whisper as it travels throughout the region with stops in St. Petersburg, Stockholm and more. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE, TURN TO PAGE 176.

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Holly Bryan’s picks

Manager, Experiential Travel

EAT: Stop in at the Stolle Pie Shop to enjoy a savory Russian pie or sweets. The Grand Hotel Europe’s Caviar Bar & Restaurant is the city’s only caviar restaurant. Its superb selection is served atop delicate blini alongside a glass of crisp, chilled vodka. For lunch with a view, reserve a table at the top of Kempinski Hotel at the Bellevue Brasserie

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and choose from its selection of modern Russian cuisine. PALACES: Don’t miss a visit to the majestic Winter Palace (home to the Hermitage Museum), the imperial glamour of Peterhoff Palace, the equally stunning Pavlovsk Palace and the impressive Amber Room at Catherine’s Palace. VENICE OF THE NORTH: Take advantage of the summer’s 17 hours of daylight to board a canal boat and explore the 42 islands that make up St.

Petersburg. Hop onboard one of the many fantastic boats and enjoy a glass of champagne as you float through the city. CATHEDRALS: St. Isaac’s, St. Sampson’s, Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood and Smolny cathedrals were erected at the height of the Russian Empire’s wealth and power. Each has its own distinct architecture and features, yet they are all part of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral, also known as the Museum of Four Cathedrals.

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oleg doroshin

SHOP: The Eliseyev Emporium is the most famous food shop in St. Petersburg, housed in a lavish Art Nouveau building.


sergiy dontsov

RIDE ON Catherine II, considering herself the heir—if not by blood, then by deeds—to Peter I, commissioned French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet to create a statue of this city’s founder. The bronze monument of Peter I on a rearing horse at cliff ’s edge was unveiled in 1782 but didn’t get its name–the Bronze Horseman–until 1833, from a poem by Alexander Pushkin.

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iakov filimonov, yadid levy/anzenberger/redux

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT The Peter and Paul Fortress never served its original military purpose. Instead, it was a political prison (Peter I’s son, Alexey, and Lenin’s brother, Alexander, were among its inmates). Russian rulers from Peter I to Alexander III are buried at Peter and Paul Cathedral, in the center of the fortress.

GOLD EGGS One of the most famous (and expensive; a pound costs upwards of $3,000) Russian exports is “black” caviar from the rare beluga sturgeon of the Caspian Sea. Sevruga and Osetra caviar are also exquisite and highly prized. INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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simafalex

LOOKING UP In 1818, Alexander I chose the grandiose design of French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand for St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The project took 40 years to design and build. Today, St. Isaac’s is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the city and the fourth-largest cathedral in the world.

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TRADITIONAL EATS Named after one of the members of the Stroganoff dynasty, Beef Stroganoff—beef sauteed in a special sauce with sour cream and various other ingredients—has been known in Russia since the mid-19th century. It tastes best with buckwheat porridge.

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pavel l photo and video/shutterstock.com, eugenia maximova/anzenberger

PALACE OR ART MUSEUM ? Catherine II started her collection, which grew into the greatest royal collection of art in the world, by purchasing nearly 300 paintings meant for the collection of Prussian King Frederick II in 1764. Catherine continued to acquire pieces and eventually her collection required that the Winter Palace be expanded. The Big Throne Hall is one of the biggest state rooms in the Winter Palace. It was fully destroyed by a fire in 1837 and rebuilt in 1841 to its previous look.

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solodov alexey

THE NAMESAKE St. Isaac’s Cathedral features several depictions of its namesake, St. Isaac of Dalmatia, including this relief of the saint on one of the gigantic doors on the cathedral’s northern façade.

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somehow hatching this melody in cahoots with the gods who create such tempests. Certainly he started calmly enough. When we first arrived, it was just him and Yvonne Casey, he with the bouzouki, she with the fiddle. Photographer James Fennell and I stumbled into the pub having spent some hours around the horseshoe bay at Kilkee and up toward Loop Head. A sagacious landlady in Kilrush advised us this stretch of cliffs was every bit as wonderful and also less busy than the Cliffs of Moher. As we parked the car and gingerly strolled toward the lofty cliff face, there wasn’t another soul to be seen. It was one of those days you lean forward into the wind and it pushes you back. Thinking about the power of the invisible wind and freak gusts, I kept a healthy distance from the cliff’s edge, watching dark blue rollers steam in from afar before smashing against the same rocks that tore the Spanish Armada to shreds here in 1588. Crouching upon the green, salt-splayed grasses and looking across at a small island maybe a hundred meters out to sea, I saw the ruins of a dwelling on its summit. Surely to God, I said aloud, that is the

oin O’Neill’s 55-year-old fingers flitter from one fret of his bouzouki to the next so fast they’re a blur. His grin gets ever wider as he eyeballs the paneled ceiling above. The eight musicians seated around him follow his lead, hypnotizing the entire pub with a savage symphony of giddy fiddles and mandolins, pluckety banjos, bodhrans, flutes and 12-string guitars. A bearded man yelps from the sidelines. Another, convinced that he too has found the rhythm, pounds a tabletop with his palms. The music gets ever faster. My knobbly knees bounce uncontrollably off the old flagstone floor. Things are taking off in here tonight. Welcome to a Sunday evening at Joseph McHugh’s pub in Liscannor, County Clare. Outside a storm is raging, frothing up the ocean all along the Atlantic Coast of Ireland. Balls of salty rain smack against the dark windows, briefly clinging and then dissolving in the soft light of the turf fire. Eoin is in tune with the weather outside,

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Giddy fiddles and emerald cliffs on Ireland’s Atlantic Coast


ALIVE WITH MUSIC A fiddler at Friel’s Pub.

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COUNTY CLARE LIFE (Left) A gathering at Joseph McHugh’s pub. (Right, clockwise from top left) Bearded barman at Hotel Doolin; Crotty’s; Poet’s Rest inside the Old Ground Hotel; a pint of O’Hara’s.

remotest building on this green Earth. “It was a hermitage,” says a barman at Hotel Doolin with an impressive American Civil War beard. “A saint set up a commune out there about 1,500 years ago. It was all connected to the mainland but then the land fell away and it became an island.” This bearded barman recently won the lottery so he ought to know these things. I also rate him because, the previous evening, he counseled me to switch from Guinness stout to O’Hara’s. “Stick with O’Hara’s Leann Folláin and you’ll have no hangover,” he avowed. “Leann Folláin means wholesome stout and wholesome it most certainly is.” For all his trivia, this barman says he cannot play any musical instruments. This makes him rather unusual in County Clare. Traditional Irish music forms the soul of many of the county’s towns and villages, from the tiny hamlets of Kilfenora, Tulla or Carrigaholt to Ennis, the energetic county capital, where musicians congregate nightly in places such as James O’Keeffe’s and the Poet’s Rest at the Old Ground Hotel. Some melodies have passed down from ear to ear over generations since the age of the Celtic peoples who dwelled in these fertile lands. Others are the legacy of maritime traders from Morocco, Algeria, Portugal and Spain who plied Ireland’s Atlantic Coast and ventured up the Shannon estuary that forms Clare’s southern border. The concertina, now considered a particularly Irish instrument, was an Anglo-German invention but became so popular in Clare that by the early 1900s nearly every house in the county had one. Light and portable, these two-handed hexagonal squeezeboxes proved particularly popular with women. Lizzie Crotty, matriarch of Crotty’s (pronounced “Crutty” in the locality) in Kilrush, one of the longest-standing musical pubs in Clare, was born into a large family in 1885. She grew up to be, arguably, the best-known concertina player in Ireland. Compositions included songs like “The

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Wind that Shakes the Barley” and “The Reel with the Beryl.” In her younger years, this shy but determined woman frequently played at “American Wakes,” where the community would gather to bid farewell to yet another young man or woman bound for a new life in America. (All but one of Crotty’s own siblings emigrated; none returned.) Her husband, Miko Crotty, was one of the few emigrants who did come back and together they converted their pub in Kilrush into a hotbed for traditional music sessions, especially after the horse and cattle fairs in the square.

Traditional Irish music forms the soul of many of the county’s towns and villages, from the tiny hamlets of Kilfenora, Tulla or Carrigaholt to Ennis, the energetic county capital, where musicians congregate nightly. Crotty’s continues to be one of the strongholds of Irish music in southern Clare. The musicians play in the old living room, tapping their feet on a worn tiled floor installed by an Italian craftsman whom Miko managed to lure down from a job at the local Catholic Church. An adjacent table was the favored spot of Richard Burton, Oliver Reed and Cyril Cusack when those hard-drinking thespians were Crotty’s aficionados in the 1960s. Back at Joseph McHugh’s in Liscannor, Eoin O’Neill is still firing on all cylinders with his bouzouki, stomping his foot and yelping like a wolf while all around are likewise going full pelt. It’s like Zorba the Greek with a barrel of poitín thrown in. Horses’ hooves thunder on salt-stained fields, great crested rollers blast into the ancient cliffs.

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FEEL THE RHYTHM (Left) Musicians at Gus O’Connor’s Pub. (Right, clockwise from top left) Dunguire Castle; McDermotts Pub; statue of uilleann piper Willie Clancy; young musicians at Hotel Doolin.

Faster and faster and faster it goes, fiddlers’ shoulders rolling like the breakers themselves, until the definitive crescendo falls and everyone drops back to Earth with much woofing of chest and contagious mirth. “Sorry about that,” says Eoin, scratching the back of his head. “I get a little carried away sometimes.” Magnificent. To my mind, I have just witnessed a little piece of magic, crafted by wood, string and a melee of human elbows, fingers and wrists. This same formula is in a state of near constant infusion in pubs throughout County Clare on any day of the week. It is truly extraordinary. Many children of the county are taught how to play an instrument before they master spelling or math. As such, there are now hundreds, if not thousands, of musicians born and bred in Clare, as well as the innumerable players who have drifted here from afar. “I’m a nowhere man,” says O’Neill, who was raised on the east coast of Ireland. “When I first moved to Doolin 35 years ago, the winters would be so lonely that I would be almost crying in my bedroom, but it's so different now. The Internet keeps you connected all the time if you want.” Irish music is often deeply haunting and emotive. I have met men and women whose grandparents were teenagers at the time of the Great Famine of the 1840s, when approximately one million people succumbed to starvation and disease while another million fled the island. Irish history does not record many happy moments. However, there are certain things that emerged from the gloomy fog of emigration, famine and religious persecution to embolden the Irish soul, not least music and humor. At Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin, a Santa Claus lookalike on crutches belts out a version of “Plastic Jesus,” and successfully entices all those seated around him to sing along. At his side, another happygo-lucky man creates an accompanying rhythm by rattling a pair of kitchen spoons between his hands and thigh. You’re unlikely to hear the spoons in Hotel Doolin on a Monday INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

night but you will hear one of the finest acts in the county, Quentin Cooper, Eoin O’Neill and Jono O’Connell, with regular cameos from Luka Bloom. This is the same Eoin I met in Liscannor. That’s the way it works in County Clare: a different pub, different night, different playing partners. Fitzpatrick’s Bar in Hotel Doolin is a deep-red paneled room, with dark timber floors, a glowing turf fire, ceramic whiskey jars on the windowsills and walls bedecked with portrait photos of musical greats from decades past. It serves local and lesser-known stouts—hence, the O’Hara’s in my hand.

It’s like Zorba the Greek with a barrel of poitΊn thrown in. Horses’ hooves thunder on salt-stained fields, great crested rollers blast into the ancient cliffs. Faster and faster and faster it goes. Quentin is the only person I’ve heard of who is half Peruvian and half Irish. Also, he plays every instrument I’ve heard of and even makes his own. He knows his woods inside out and enlightens me. “Violas, fiddles, cellos and double basses are all back and sides maple, tough but thin enough to resonate a lot; the top is generally spruce and the fingerboard tends to be ebony or rosewood. The wire can be anything from gut-string to nylon, steel, titanium, carbon, depends what you’re into.” But now the music is on again. Big Eoin, hunched up and sucking his lower lip, strumming his bouzouki. The dapper Jon O’Connell (friends call him “Jono”), who grew up nearby, the scion of a family of emigrants, hands gliding up and down an enormous double bass.

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GRAB A SEAT Inside James O’Keeffe's pub.

Quentin doing crazy things with his mandolin. Once again a session brews. A man called Barnes arrives with a banjo. O’Connell’s brother Kieran, lately returned from Australia, sings “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.” Suddenly the air is thick with the ambience of Gallipoli, 1915, and the memories of soldiers who have had their legs blown off, and we all feel deeply emotional for a moment. A children’s nurse from Kerry then serenades us with “Will Ye Go, Lassie Go?” With each new song, we all move a little closer and by the end of the night I am compelled to shed my own inner fears. I sing a song called “Spancil Hill,” which I learned from a man called Robbie McMahon, another legend of Clare, since deceased, about

an emigrant who dreams he is home again with his fiancée only to awaken in far away California. That is the power of nights like these, with or without storms raging outside the door, to pitch and toss with whatever tune or song stirs the room. Ireland-based Turtle Bunbury is a former winner of Ireland’s Long Haul Travel Journalist of the Year Award, and his work has been published in National Geographic Traveler, The World of Interiors and Playboy. His latest book, The Glorious Madness —Tales of the Irish & the Great War, was short-listed for the Best Irish-published Book of the Year 2014.

INSPIRATO RECOMMENDS

Doonbeg, Ireland Lovely 1- and 2-bedroom suites at the Trump International® Golf Links and Hotel serve as Inspirato’s base to explore County Clare. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INSPIRATO’S IRELAND SIGNATURE STAYS, TURN TO PAGE 111.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

Margaret Nagle’s picks Inspirato Destination Concierge

NATURAL WONDERS: The Cliffs of Moher, rising more than 700 feet from the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of West Clare, are easily Ireland’s most famous natural attraction. See them from the deck of the Jack B., which sails from Doolin or Liscannor. The Great Stalactite found in Doolin Cave is one of the largest in the world at 23 feet in length. EAT: Doonbeg Village, a 5-minute drive from the resort, is home to the elegant, creekside restaurant Morrissey’s and their

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hearty meat and seafood fare. You can also try Tubridy Bar & Restaurant, which has its own soccer pitch out back. Make an adventure of your meal by driving 30 minutes to the stone cottage that’s home to The Long Dock Carrigaholt, open since 1820 and a local gathering spot in this tiny fishing village ever since. GOLF: Test your game on the top-rated Greg Norman oceanfront course at Trump International® Golf Links.

March, 17, 2015 ST. PATRICK’S DAY The festivities start the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day. April 5-7, 2015 LOOP HEAD WALKING, BIKING & HERITAGE FESTIVAL Stroll or bike the paths of Loop Head, Kilcredaun and George’s Head, all listed on Europe’s EDEN destinations of excellence. May, 2015 BURREN IN BLOOM FESTIVAL Talks and walks celebrate spring.

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A Reel of Eight The following County Clare pubs have live traditional Irish music on most— if not every—night of the week. The musicians inevitably vary; check each pub’s website or ask locally for details of times and performers. DOOLIN This small coastal village on the northwest coast has no banks or shops yet boasts four of the finest traditional music pubs in Ireland: McGanns mcgannspubdoolin.com McDermotts mcdermottspubdoolin.com O’Connor’s gusoconnorsdoolin.com Hotel Doolin, particularly for the Monday night session hoteldoolin.ie

LISCANNOR

LISDOONVARNA DOOLIN

ATLA N TI C O C EA N

COROFIN

IRE L A N D

Although the eponymous founder of Joseph McHugh’s is no more, this genuine old-style Irish pub continues to be one of the liveliest in the land. This village is the birthplace of John Philip Holland, the man credited with inventing the submarine, and “Liscannor Bay” is as sweet a ballad as ever you will hear.

MILTOWN MALBAY

MILTOWN MALBAY

COU NTY C L A R E

ENNIS

KILRUSH

Since the death of the uilleann piper Willie Clancy in 1973, this seaside town has hosted an annual music festival—as well as Ireland’s largest traditional music summer school—in his honor. Both events take place in July, but there is music throughout the year, most notably in Friel’s, where Clancy himself slept so often after performing in the kitchen that “Friel’s Kitchen” became the title of a song by The Chieftains. frielspub.ie

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traditional music can head for the Poet’s Corner Bar at the Old Ground Hotel, Brogan’s or James O’Keeffe’s, aka Honest Tom Steele’s, named for an eccentric sidekick of O’Connell’s. brogansbarandrestaurant.com

CARRIGAHOLT The ruined shell of a five-story castle that witnessed the end of the Spanish Armada in 1588 overlooks the harbor of this fishing village on the coast of the Loop Head peninsula. Keane’s Bar & Grocery, a charming country bar with adjoining grocery shop, hosts regular traditional music sessions.

COROFIN This crossroads village on the southern edge of the limestone plateau of the Burren is home to Bofey Quinns, an acclaimed music pub-restaurant run by descendants of the Quinn family that ruled this region centuries ago. bofeyquinns.weebly.com

KILRUSH

One of the oldest musical pubs in County Clare, Crotty’s is also one of its finest, connecting the musicians of today with Mrs. Crotty and the traditions of the 19th century. crottyspubkilrush.com

LISDOONVARNA “If it is music you want, you should go to Clare” was a mantra given full voice by Irish folk music icon Christy Moore in his 1983 song, “Lisdoonvarna.” The 18th-century spa town is now perhaps best known as home to a matchmaking festival every September when upwards of 40,000 people come looking for love and merriment. The festive spirit continues throughout the year with traditional music every Friday and Saturday night at the Roadside Tavern. roadsidetavern.ie

ENNIS The county capital has a proud tradition of supporting those who fought to wrest control of Ireland from the British Empire. A tall column at the heart of the town is adorned with a statue of Daniel O’Connell, the barrister whose campaign to win the vote for Irish Catholics began in Ennis. Éamon de Valera, one of the foremost figures in 20th-century Irish history, also has strong links to the town. Fans of

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THE RUN FOR THE ROSES KENTUCKY DERBY 2015 If you want to experience the rich tradition and unmistakable Southern style of the Kentucky Derby, this Inspirato Signature Experience® invites you to watch the big race from the best seats in the venue within Millionaires Row. NEW THIS YEAR – To make your trip even more memorable, we've created a private multi-day experience for race weekend featuring special members-only touches during Kentucky Oaks Day and some of the finest accommodations available in Louisville. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE, CALL TO RESERVE YOUR PACKAGE TODAY! 855.481.5405 | WWW.INSPIRATO.COM/KENTUCKYDERBY Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.


IMAGINE

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

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MAGINE A GLOBAL COLLECTION OF LUXURIOUS VACATION OPTIONS. IMAGINE A TRUSTED TEAM

committed to making each trip you take better than the last. Imagine being known and recognized every time you travel. Now imagine it all in a private club that helps you turn simple moments into lasting memories more easily and often than you ever thought possible.

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WELCOME TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD.

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M E M B E R S H I P | ABOUT INSPIRATO

EXPERIENCE A NEW WAY TO VACATION

Vacations are the special times when you live life to the fullest, embracing moments you know you’ll always remember. Inspirato with American Express is a private club for those who understand this simple truth. Our luxury residences and custom experiences are carefully selected to fit almost every vacation style and interest. And our service team strives to ensure your trips are relaxed, carefree and designed just for you.

MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY MOMENT What sets us apart? We’re committed to anticipating your needs, exceeding your expectations and showcasing the very best of the destination on every trip. Your Member Services Team will be an indispensable partner in planning your travels and getting the most from your membership. Our on-site Destination Concierge will welcome you with authentic local knowledge and expert assistance. And our entire team will collaborate to learn your preferences and help you make the most of every moment—even if your vacation is halfway around the world.

INSPIRATO SIGNATURE COLLECTION WHERE WILL YOU GO NEXT? The Inspirato Signature Collection features hundreds of irresistible vacations chosen just for our members. There is an expansive selection of Signature Residences to suit almost every taste, customized Signature Experiences that take you to the far corners of the world and Signature Stays featuring exclusive privileges with iconic hotels and resorts. From Maui to Vail, Los Cabos to New York, Tuscany to Grand Cayman—even Antarctica and the Kentucky Derby—you always have somewhere new to explore with us.

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INSPIRATO SIGNATURE RESIDENCES MAKE YOUR PRIMARY HOME JEALOUS

Our Signature Residences are beautiful homes designed to suit every vacation style, from jaw-dropping luxury villas to fashionable urban apartments to charming beach cottages and everything in between. Each combines the spaciousness and character of a private vacation home with the warm and personalized attention of our Signature Service. Unlike typical online vacation rental agents that broker third-party homes, we manage and control each residence 365 days a year for the exclusive use of our members. We invest an average of $50,000 in furnishings, fine linens and other upgrades to meet our exacting standards. Each home includes daily housekeeping and an on-site Destination Concierge to handle all the details.

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Inspirato partners with select iconic hotel and resort brands to expand your vacation choices into major metropolitan areas and member-favorite resorts around the world. From sandy beaches in Anguilla or the Bahamas to a suite in Manhattan, Chicago or Las Vegas, we deliver luxurious accommodations and premier services with an Inspirato touch.

INSPIRATO SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES REALIZE YOUR LONG-HELD VACATION DREAMS

Learn something that could change everything. Catch yourself living life to the fullest. Our Signature Experiences are remarkable adventures that take you to the far corners of the world and renowned global events, turning long-held vacation dreams into lifelong memories. From the magnificent ice shelves of Antarctica to the Palettes of the Baltic Sea and The Masters in Augusta, these custom members-only trips bring you face-to-face with priceless scenes and happenings.

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INSPIRATO CLUB MEMBER BENEFITS YES, THESE COME STANDARD

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On-site experts anticipate your needs, share authentic local knowledge and create inspired experiences just for you during your Signature Residence vacations with the club.

JauntÂŽ: Each week, our

Jaunt 52 vacations offer superior savings when you book one of dozens of featured trips and our Jaunt Now getaways provide the excitement and amazing values of spontaneous escapes.

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Enjoy significant savings on nightly rates when compared to the open market for luxury vacation homes with a comparable level of services and amenities.

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HOW MEMBERSHIP WORKS Simple. Flexible. Easy. Inspirato Members pay a one-time initiation fee to join the club plus an annual membership fee. In return, they enjoy access to our Inspirato Signature Residences, Signature Stays and Signature Experiences, all at members-only rates that vary depending on the desired trip, destination and dates. Each trip comes with our Signature Service, including your own expert team of advisors. You have the flexibility to travel as much or as little as you like, paying only for the nights you use. At the end of each year, you pay the annual membership fee to renew or contact us to resign and walk away with no further commitment.

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MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS Perfect for the Way You Travel We offer membership options specifically designed around the way you like to vacation so you can travel in a way that best fits your schedule and interests. All membership options come with Inspirato Signature Service and Club Member Benefits, but include different Signature Residence access and features.

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SIGNATURE COLLECTION S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N A T U R E S T AY S

94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104

113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134

Florence, Italy Fort Lauderdale, FL Geneva, Switzerland Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Hilton Head Island, SC Isle of Palms, SC Jackson Hole, WY Kapalua, Maui, HI Kiawah Island, SC Kohala Coast, Big Island, HI La Paz, Mexico Lake Como, Italy NEW Las Vegas, NV Lenox, MA London, England Los Cabos, Mexico Miami/South Beach, FL Nantucket, MA Naples, FL Nevis, West Indies New York City, NY Newport, RI

135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154

Northstar, Tahoe, CA Orlando, FL NEW Palm Springs, CA Palmetto Bluff, SC Paris, France Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica Provence, France Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Punta de Mita, Mexico Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Real Del Mar, Mexico NEW Riviera Maya, Mexico Rose Hall, Jamaica Rosemary Beach, FL San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Miguel de Allende, Mexico NEW Scottsdale, AZ Sea Island, GA

155 Snowmass Village, CO 156 St. Barts, French West Indies 157 St. Martin, French West Indies NEW 158 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands NEW 159 St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands 160 Steamboat Springs, CO 161 Stowe, VT 162 Squaw Valley, Tahoe, CA 163 Telluride, CO 164 Tortola, British Virgin Islands 165 Tucson, AZ 166 Turks & Caicos, British West Indies 167 Tuscany, Italy 168 Vail, CO 169 Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands 170 Wailea, Maui, HI 171 Whistler, Canada 172 Wine Country, CA

jen judge

105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112

Abaco, Bahamas Anguilla, British West Indies Aspen, CO Austin/Lake Travis, TX Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico Beaver Creek, CO Bora Bora, French Polynesia Bordeaux, France Boston, MA Brush Creek Ranch, WY Cacique Peninsula, Costa Rica Cannes, France NEW Cape Cod, MA Chicago, IL Colorado Springs, CO Deer Valley, UT Devon, England Doonbeg, Ireland Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE BOUGAIN VILLA 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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From deep-sea fishing for marlin to a fly fisherman’s pursuit of bonefish, the “gray ghost” of fish, Abaco is the apex of any angler’s bucket list. At the Abaco Club on Winding Bay, Inspirato members can relax on the porch and regale the crowd with the day’s fish stories. Plus, you can explore a secluded beach or cruise between islands on a chartered sailboat. The choice is yours.

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ABACO HIGHLIGHTS SAIL CENTRAL

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more scenic locale for sailing. The Abacos are a 120-mile chain of more than 100 pristine islands and cays, inviting you to drop anchor and dive in to explore the untouched beauty of this aquamarine expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. CONVENIENCE

While you may think you’re on the other side of the world, Abaco is closer to mainland U.S. than

BAHAMAS

Caribbean destinations, with several airlines offering direct flights from Florida to Marsh Harbour on the island. THE INSIDER’S LIST

Hop on a skiff and head to Cracker P’s Bar and Grill on Lubbers Quarters, a local favorite for conch dishes and an island spin on the British pub. For a special night, book a table at Angler’s at the Abaco Beach Resort at Boat Harbour or the Clubhouse at the Abaco Club on Winding Bay. The British Virgin Islands

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tout the Painkiller as their signature cocktail. Abaco has the Whachamacallit, a blend of iced tea, lemonade, pineapple rum, mango rum, blackberry brandy and fresh fruit juice. To get your groove on, the place to be is downtown Marsh Harbour, where a selection of open-air venues await, many with live music. PRIME SNORKELING

Right off the coast from the Abaco Club, Inspirato members can find some of the world’s most enchanting underwater ecosystems.

Once you’ve had your fill there, venture to Great Guana and Nippers, with an outer edge that drops 20 feet, providing an oasis for larger fish such as barracuda. Or try the shallows of Green Turtle Sea Gardens, known for its beautiful sea fans and coral reef.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Abaco Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY FOUR BEDROOM OCEANFRONT VILLA 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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With beautiful beaches and fine dining, Anguilla is a true escape thanks to its ban of cruise ships, casinos and high-rise hotels. The perfect day is easy here: It begins when you sink your toes into the soft white sand, continues with bright rays of sun reflecting off the turquoise Caribbean, and culminates in international fare in an open-air restaurant or an island beer paired with local barbecue.

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ANGUILLA HIGHLIGHTS CLEAR CARIBBEAN

The Caribbean opens just beyond the terrace of every Signature Stay at the Viceroy Anguilla Resort and Residences or Sheriva luxury villas and suites. Relax in up to 13,500 square feet of indoor living space, all within a short walk or golf cart shuttle to the beach.

BRITISH WEST INDIES

outlying islands make for easy snorkeling in which you’ll see worlds of bright fish and coral reefs. Shoal Bay Scuba rents gear by the day or week. A DAY ON THE BEACH

There are more than 30 powdery beaches on Anguilla. Stroll along Mead’s Bay, take the kids to the Cove Bay beach or indulge in barefoot luxury dining at Sandy Ground.

SENSATIONAL SNORKELING

FINE DINING

There’s great diving, but the abundant calm bays around Anguilla and its

With a population of just under 15,000 residents, you’d never guess that

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Anguilla could house so many outstanding restaurants. Chefs prepare cuisine with influences from Asia, Africa, France and more. Don’t leave without sampling some authentic Anguillan barbecue. Get your groove on at the Pumphouse, home of the island’s best nightlife.

RELAX AND UNWIND

Swim, dive, kayak, paddleboard, boat, fish—all the delights you desire in or over the water. Bike, shop, golf, dine— simply unwind, relax and reconnect. Have breakfast delivered to your villa, lunch served to your chair in the sand and dinner prepared and served poolside at your private villa.

GOLF

Bring your clubs to the 18-hole CuisinArt, the island’s lone championship course and designed by Greg Norman.

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Explore our Anguilla Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE RETREAT ON UTE 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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There are enough hip boutiques, gourmet restaurants and private jets in Aspen to rival the world’s greatest luxury destinations, but this mountain town’s true appeal rests in its beautiful setting and adventurous outdoor activities. You can hit the slopes, take on a whitewater river or just relax and watch the world go by.

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ASPEN HIGHLIGHTS ASPEN, YOUR WAY

All of our Aspen properties feature an upscale, mountain-home feel with tasteful appointments and generous layouts to make you feel right at home. Whether you pick the 6,458-square-foot, fivebedroom Steinway for a group get-together or the 4,278-square-foot, fourbedroom Silver Queen for something slightly more intimate, our Aspen homes deliver whatever you desire.

COLORADO

MAROON BELLS

FASHION FORWARD

If you buy a postcard in Aspen, the photo will likely be of the spectacular Maroon Bells, some of the most photographed mountains in the world. They’re shrouded in snow all winter but come summer, these 14,000-foot peaks are covered in a riot of wildflowers.

Join the celebrities who shop for the latest international styles at the boutiques on Galena Street. And check out the local shops for chic skiwear, high-end Western apparel and unique pieces of art.

FOUR FOR ONE

Enjoy access to four worldclass ski mountains— Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk—on a single lift ticket.

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WINING AND DINING

count on the perfect glass of wine or a local craft beer to pair with your meal.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Aspen Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

Aspen restaurants are a destination unto themselves, whether you’re craving expertly prepared Colorado game, decadent comfort food, worldclass sushi or a burger at White House Tavern. And wherever you go, you can

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE WATERSTONE LODGE 5 BED / 4.5 BATH

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AUSTIN / LAK E TR AVIS

Expect the laid-back, embrace the offbeat and prepare for a different kind of luxury vacation on Lake Travis in the Texas Hill Country. Flat plains give way here to wooded canyons, spring-fed rivers and the occasional cave. Along these hills, the more traditional Texas culture bows to the eclectic, from the unique German settlement of Fredericksburg to Marble Falls, the center of the Highland Lakes area.

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HIGHLIGHTS FLOAT AWAY

Floating the scenic Guadalupe River is popular here; visitors and locals will spend a few hours on inner tubes being pushed by the slow-moving current. Also try canoeing and kayaking. For the best currents, head to Kerrville Schreiner Park. GAME ON

Visit the famous Y.O. Ranch, a 40,000-acre working ranch with plenty of ways to fill the day: horseback riding, big

game and bird hunting, trail tours, swimming and even exotic game tours with more than 50 types of animals. GOLF

Members staying at the Waterstone Lodge have golfing privileges at Riverhill Country Club, a famed private club with an 18-hole course designed by Byron Nelson and Joe Finger and anchored by its clubhouse, a historic mansion. HUNTING PARTY

Take a drive to local

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TEXAS

watering hole and onestop shop: The Hunt Store. Over time, this quaint store has become a favorite of residents and visitors. Order a burger, sit at a picnic table and soak up the Texas sun. WINE COUNTRY

There are more than 30 wineries dotting the Hill Country. We recommend taking a rolling drive through the area’s famous bluebonnets to discover eclectic wineries housed in a 100-year-old barn, a stone chateau, an Italian villa and other

unique spaces that add personality to the beautiful surroundings. Here are a few of our favorites: Becker Vineyards, Fall Creek Vineyards and Flat Creek Estate.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Austin/Lake Travis Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE ALELI 3 BED / 4 BATH

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Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club in Puerto Rico is one of only 21 resorts in the world to be designated as a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary and is the only resort in the Caribbean with this distinct honor. El Yunque National Rainforest neighbors the resort’s 20+ acres, and the dedicated staff pride themselves on protecting the natural environment and its inhabitants.

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BAHIA BEACH HIGHLIGHTS

of glowing creatures light up around you.

GOLF

World-famous golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the scenic fairways at Bahia Beach, and it has been named the “Best of the Best” by global luxury magazine Robb Report.

BEACHFRONT

Bahia Beach unfolds in 2 miles of stunning white sand beach. The sparkling blue water is swimmable, and shaded palm trees provide a peaceful oasis. The sun and sand here are enjoyable year-round.

NIGHT LIGHTS

Travel 40 minutes to Laguna Grande in Fajardo to see bioluminescent dinoflagellates light up the mangrove-lined lagoons. Enjoy a two-hour kayak tour in the water as millions

THE BOATHOUSE

The resort offers complimentary equipment and gear for various activities: You and your group can explore 70 acres of canals and lakes on the

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PUERTO RICO resort grounds. Nearby is the Espíritu Santo River, should you feel like venturing a bit farther. Kayaking and paddleboarding are traditionally offered on the resort’s lake. If you would like to head out to the ocean, the resort can arrange your plans. A canoe is the perfect vessel for navigating the property’s canals, with more than 4 miles to explore. Spin fishing is common on the resort’s docks. A variety of saltwater fish species inhabit the water; mangrove snapper, jack

and mullet, to name a few. For the more adventurous type, windsurfing and sailboats are available.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Bahia Beach Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE HIGH ROAD 6 BED / 6.5 BATH

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Fall in love with Beaver Creek—a cozy alpine hamlet in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Along with neighboring Vail, these vibrant communities boast thousands of skiable acres, posh residences and an array of year-round amenities.

BEAVER CREEK HIGHLIGHTS CONVENIENT ACCESS

Beaver Creek is the super-exclusive little sister to popular Vail. Savvy travelers flock to the convenient winter activities at Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek and Arrowhead. OPTIONS ABOUND

Dining options in Beaver Creek blend gourmet fare with fresh, local ingredients. Take your pick of elegant restaurants in town or request a private chef to prepare an unforgettable meal you

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can enjoy in your mountain residence. ALPINE SNOWSHOE

Beaver Creek’s nordic and snowshoe trails are located remotely on a high, sun-filled meadow—a world apart from the base of the valley with majestic views of the surrounding Rockies. MEMBER FAVORITE

For one of the most romantic dining experiences in town, Inspirato Members love Beano’s Cabin at Beaver Creek, an intimate and

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COLORADO off-the-beaten-path venue that serves a selection of delectable options and is reached by snowcat or snowshoe. NATURAL COLOR

Explore this valley on foot or by bike in the summer and fall to experience beautiful golden aspen glades, multicolored wildflowers and highaltitude overlooks. NIGHTLIFE

When the sun sets on Beaver Creek, mellow evenings await. Start with a handcrafted martini at the

Beaver Creek Chophouse or try Vin 48 for fine wines and an ever-changing menu of rustic American fare made with local, organic ingredients. Don’t miss Splendido at the Chateau with its unique and refined Euro-American cuisine.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Beaver Creek Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY OVERWATER BUNGALOW 2 BED / 2 BATH

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Escape to the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora, considered by many to be the most beautiful island in the world. From diving the spectacular barrier reef to exploring the interior on a 4x4 safari, come see the landscape and people that inspired artist Paul Gaugin’s seminal works.

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BOR A BOR A HIGHLIGHTS WATER WORLD

Settle into your bungalow situated over the water. Access to white sand beaches and swimming in the warm tropical waters is as simple as stepping down the stairs from your private deck. A glass panel in the living room under the coffee table lets you watch the sea life below. The secluded and nearby beach at Motu Pitai Aau will let you truly get away from it all.

F R E N C H P O LY N E S I A

SUBMARINERS

Explore the vibrant sea life that calls the island’s expansive reefs home without the need to become SCUBA-certified. See it by submarine instead. Want more freedom? Try a two-person submarine aquabike. Keep your eyes open for rays, angelfish and blacktip reef sharks. Or combine a charter sailboat cruise with stops for snorkeling among the shallows. If you want to truly connect with the local sea life, book either a shark

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or ray feeding adventure in which these gentle creatures of the deep take food right from your hand. JEEP SAFARI

Roll through Bora Bora’s rugged terrain in a 4x4 and climb up the slopes of Mount Otemanu for jaw-dropping views of the famed lagoon below. Then pay a visit to the only pearl farm on the island. LA VILLA MAHANA

of seafood and classic French cuisine such as duck and lamb and is recognized for the best table on the island. Save it for an intimate and romantic celebration in a superlative setting.

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STAYS Explore our Bora Bora Signature Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

This tiny French restaurant (seven tables total) takes reservations months in advance for its rich menu

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SIGNATURE STAY CHÂTEAU VERDOT 4 BED / 4 BATH

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Known as one of the world’s finest wineproducing regions, Bordeaux welcomes oenophiles and romantics alike to the home of merlots, cabernet sauvignons and cabernet francs. Each one grows a short distance from your classic French château in the Libourne subregion on the banks of the Dordogne River in southwest France.

BORDEAUX HIGHLIGHTS ANCIENT HISTORY

At the junction of the Isle and Dordogne rivers, the village of Libourne was originally fortified in 1270. The remaining Gate of the Great Port from the 14th century is the largest section of the city walls built when Libourne was developed as an important export center for the region’s wines. FINE DINING, FINER WINES

the area’s vineyards: Saint Émilion Grand Cru, Saint-GeorgesSaint-Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac, Bordeaux Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Castillon, Lussac and more. Tuck into a meal on the terrace at Troplong Mondot overlooking the vineyards of the stone Château Saint Émilion and prepared by the villa’s chef, who sources a menu from the surrounding area and prepares it to perfectly match the estate’s wine.

Some of the best wines in the world come from

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FRANCE BORDEAUX

Situated on the banks of the Garonne River, this regional capital has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage City for its outstanding urban and architectural mix that has remained intact from the 18th century—a fact that has made it attractive to period-film productions for decades.

the Romans first planted grapes in the area. You’re less than 5 miles to the market town of Libourne and its fine dining, markets and wine shops.

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Explore our Bordeaux Signature Stay at inspirato.com/destinations

PRIVATE CHÂTEAU

Enjoy your own private plunge pool and garden overlooking the vineyards and Saint Émilion’s ancient Roman wall, built when

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SIGNATURE STAY LUXURY PARK VIEW SUITE 1 BED / 1 BATH

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Boston in the spring is known for crisp air, breezes by the bay and history around every corner. Take a walk on the Freedom Trail, try dinner at one of the city’s hot new restaurants, shop the boutiques on Newbury Street or take a breather among the grass and fall colors of the Public Garden.

BOSTON HIGHLIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL

Inspirato Members stay at the Taj Boston, located in the city’s theater district on Arlington and Newbury streets overlooking the picturesque Public Garden and Boston Common. Premium shopping and dining options are a short walk away. A DAY AT THE PARK

Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, is more than 100 years old and considered one of the most

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MASSACHUSETTS

famous sports venues in the world. Catch a game from the luxurious EMC Club or the Absolut Clubhouse. WALK THROUGH HISTORY

Follow the red-painted bricks of the Freedom Trail as they lead you to 16 different historic sites and buildings in downtown Boston, including the Old North Church, Paul Revere’s House, the site of the Boston Massacre and the U.S.S. Constitution. THE NORTH END

Head to Boston’s historic Italian neighborhood, the

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North End, where the scintillating North End Wine Tour takes you to the city’s fine establishments such as Aragosta, The Wine Bottega and Gennaro’s. WATERFRONT VIEWS

Hop aboard Scudamore’s Punting Company for a tour of the city up the Charles River past Cambridge and back. Or head to sea for a sunset dinner cruise on the Voyager III for a trip to Stellwagen Bank, a popular spot for whales and dolphins. The lights of the city will guide you back to port.

SHOPPING EXCURSION

The Rodeo Drive of the East, Newbury Street is a shopper’s paradise with an eclectic mix of independent boutiques as well as shops from international fashion icons such as Diane von Furstenberg and Giorgio Armani.

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STAYS Explore our Boston Signature Stays at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY BRUSH CREEK RANCH

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BRUSH CREEK R ANCH

Travel to the West as it used to be (and still is). The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch sits on 15,000 acres of rolling foothills west of the Medicine Bow National Forest outside of Saratoga, Wyoming. Spend your summer days in the saddle on trail rides into the mountains or fly fishing along the North Platte River. Nights are for meals in the great house and relaxing spa treatments at this all-inclusive Western resort.

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HIGHLIGHTS RANCH LIFE OF LUXURY

Brush Creek is limited to 13 lodge rooms, nine cabin suites and 10 separate luxurious log cabins with two to three bedrooms. For a tight-knit family reunion or corporate retreat, reserve the Magee Homestead, which features its own private lodge and seven historically restored cabins that sleep up to 25, served by a dedicated staff. TAKE IT OUTSIDE

The ranch is home to more than 50 miles of hiking,

biking and horseback riding trails. Shooting with the Brush Creek Ranch Gun Club, cattle drives, paintball competitions and a ropes course are just some of the programs available to guests. All activities include gear and experienced guides.

WYOMING

TRAILHEAD SPA

CHILD’S PLAY

Rejuvenate your body at the Trailhead Spa, where guests can reserve a couple’s massage, manicure or pedicure. Exercise buffs can break a sweat at the state-ofthe-art fitness center with cardio and strengthtraining equipment.

Children can stay busy and enthralled with the ecology program, a history tour of the original homesteads or a search for buffalo via four-wheel-drive vehicle.

RIVERS WILD

Orvis-endorsed guides will take fly fishermen to the best fishing holes along 10 miles of private water within Brush Creek’s property. For more options farther afield, book a scenic fly-fishing float trip.

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DINING AT THE RANCH

Adventurous days call for hearty, fireside meals for small parties served with fine wines. Whatever your mood, Brush Creek has a menu and the level of service you desire.

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STAYS Explore our Brush Creek Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SERENA 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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CACIQUE PENINSULA

Guanacaste, on Costa Rica’s northwest Pacific Coast, is known locally as the “Gold Coast” for its sunny days. The region offers a treasure trove of exhilarating adventures. And all are within reach from the hillside residences on the breezy Cacique Peninsula, where the views and sunsets are a thrill in their own right with the beach five minutes away.

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HIGHLIGHTS EASY ACCESS

Thanks to the location of Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Playa Hermosa is the closest beach town to an international airport in the country. Inspirato’s residences offer easy access to the highway and with it, quick access to the wild interior of the Palo Verde National Reserve, whitewater rafting, zip line tours, ATV tours and much more.

C O S TA R I C A

OFFSHORE ADVENTURES

RIVERS WILD

Board a 45-foot sailing yacht and set sail for spectacular snorkeling spots and deserted sandy beaches. Dolphins are sure to follow along as you ply the Pacific for a full-day excursion complete with open bar and a sunset barbecue. The popular Tamarindo Beach is renowned for the mellow breaks that have introduced many people to the sport of surfing. More experienced surfers can catch waves at Witch’s Rock or Ollie’s Point.

The Gauchepelin Tour starts with a horseback ride to a waterfall. Then you’ll hop into a tube to float down the gentle rapids of the Negro River. After lunch, it’s up into the sky on a forestcanopy tour. The day wraps up with a relaxing soak in a naturally heated thermal spring. On the Rio Perdido Tour, exhilaration is the name of the game as you explore the dry forest and canyons near the Miravalles Volcano. Swim in crystal-clear mineral

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springs and then tackle the Aerial Canyoneering experience with its 15 zip lines, pendulum cable, Tarzan swing and more, all completed 300 feet over the Rio Blanco. The Tenorio River offers thrilling Class III and IV rapids as you churn down its 15-mile course.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Cacique Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY LA PALME D’OR 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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Known by most for the Cannes Film Festival, this star of the French Riviera is so much more than a cinema lover’s dream. You’ll feel as though you’re the winning lead on the silver screen when you visit this city centered around an old port. Take advantage of your proximity to other towns such as Grasse (known for perfume), Antibes, St Paul de Vence and Nice.

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CANNES HIGHLIGHTS SHOPKEEPS

Cannes is well known for its luxury retail options, and the hub of it all is Rue d’Antibes, the main shopping street. You’ll find everything from upscale designers to storefronts filled with freshly baked macarons. MUSÉE DE LA CASTRE

In the historic district of Cannes are the remains of a medieval castle and the Castre Museum, which features a collection of primitive art, early

FRANCE

musical instruments and phenomenal 360-degree views of the area. MOUGINS

A 15-minute drive away is Mougins, surrounded by forest and known for its verdant gardens. Stroll around Vieux Village and stop by any number of award-winning restaurants. Pablo Picasso and Édith Piaf were fans of Mougins. SET SAIL

Pierre Lambert is the captain of the Folly Too, a sailboat available for day

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charters throughout the French Riviera. While on board, you’ll indulge in a French lunch of fresh salad, fish, meats and Pierre’s famous homemade bread. NICE IS NICE

The deep blue waters of the Cote d’Azur and Nice, France, are only a 30-minute drive from Cannes. Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast and the second-most popular amongst travelers, after Paris. Explore the Promenade du Paillon. Named “coulée verte” (the

green axis), the Promenade carves right through the center of Nice. Stroll past illuminated sculptures, soaking fountains for the kids, gardens and views of the sea. Afterward, explore the National Theatre of Nice and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, both nearby.

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Explore our Cannes Signature Stay at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE STARBOARD 4 BED / 5.5 BATH

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Vacations on the Cape have been a hallmark of New England families for centuries. Start your own tradition with a family getaway packed with sunny days on the beach, rides on the rail trail, fresh seafood at the Cape’s finest establishments or a traditional clambake on the sand.

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CAPE COD HIGHLIGHTS NANTUCKET SOUND

Protected from ocean swells, the calm and warmer waters of Nantucket Sound offer a more mellow beach experience than the ocean side. Try Ridgevale Beach, Cockle Cove and Hardings Beach.

MASSACHUSETTS

Signature Residence. Then tick off Race Point, Chatham Light and the Nauset Lighthouse. FINE ARTS

The artistic heart of the Cape is Wellfleet, home to two dozen art galleries showcasing works by both local and nationally recognized artists.

BEACONS OF LIGHT

BEACH FEAST

The historic lighthouses of Cape Cod are almost as famous as its sand dunes. Pay a visit to Truro’s Highlight Light, the closest to Inspirato’s Starboard

Let Inspirato set you up with a classic New England lobster boil or clambake prepared on your deck. Lobsters will come straight from the area’s waters.

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Our clambake, a tradition that dates back to the time of the Pilgrims, features as many crabs, mussels, lobster, steamers, sausages, potatoes and corn as you wish. CONVENIENCE

Drive to the harbor in Provincetown to hire a boat for a fishing expedition by day and to take part in the village’s boisterous nightlife after the sun sets. Shoppers can head to the boutiques in Chatham for a piece of New England charm to bring home.

WHALE TALE

New England is one of the top 10 areas in the world for whale spotting, with humpback and finback whales being the most common. High season stretches from April through October.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Cape Cod Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER, LAKEVIEW SUITE 2 BED / 3 BATH

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With its first-class restaurants, shopping, museums and sports teams, Chicago boasts urban attractions that draw visitors from around the world. The Windy City is also very accessible, with miles of lakefront paths that invite a late-afternoon stroll and festive atmospheres at Millennium Park and Navy Pier. But perhaps the best way to take it all in is with a bird’s-eye view from your suite in the spectacular Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago.

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CHICAGO HIGHLIGHTS

American Girl, Pratesi Linens and Tod’s.

THE HEART OF IT ALL

Inspirato’s residential suites are located on the higher floors of The Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago, which means you’ll enjoy unobstructed views of the Chicago River and the city skyline from every residence.

THE LOOP

The historical center of downtown Chicago, The Loop is chock-full of culture, art, attractions and notable landmarks. Willis Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center are all found here.

THE MAGNIFICENT MILE

This eight-block stretch of Michigan Avenue features a staggering 460 stores, from high-end boutiques to offbeat bargain and specialty shops, including

MOLECULAR DINING

Alinea is a legendary venue that’s the brainchild of renowned chef Grant Achatz, winner of numerous awards for his

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ILLINOIS prowess in the molecular gastronomy movement. Be ready for a sensory overload with his 24-course tasting menu. CITY FISH

Out of all the amazing museums and attractions in Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium is certainly one that stands out as not to be missed. With 32,500 creatures in its building, you can rest assured that there will never be a dull moment.

formerly the Sears Tower, offers high-speed elevators to the observatory deck, 110 stories above the street. You’ll enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, and the North and South sides of the city.

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RESIDENCE/STAYS Explore our Chicago Signature Residence and Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

THE HIGH LIFE

The Willis Tower Skydeck,

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SIGNATURE STAY RANCH AT EMERALD VALLEY

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COLOR ADO SPRINGS

Founded by civicminded adventurers who extracted their first fortunes from the booming gold mines of nearby Cripple Creek, Colorado Springs still offers a sense of adventure. This quality is no doubt furthered by the hilly city’s breathtaking proximity to the mountains, stunning geological displays accessible via many parks and the base of majestic Pikes Peak, which dominates the view for miles in every direction.

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HIGHLIGHTS OLYMPIC DREAMS

Colorado Springs is home to a U.S. Olympic Training Center, which offers tours of the facility. Keep your eyes open for current and future Olympians from almost every sport. INTO THIN AIR

Book a seat on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway departing from nearby Manitou Springs to the top of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, open year-round, weather permitting.

SEVEN FALLS

Billed as the “Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado,” Seven Falls is a private canyon known for a series of cascading waterfalls. BROADMOOR HOTEL

One of only 13 triple five-star hotels in the world, the Broadmoor has welcomed international guests since 1918. It features two 18-hole championship golf courses (it hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in 2011 and U.S. Senior Open in 2008). A renowned spa, horseback riding, tennis

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COLORADO

and pool make it a world unto itself. Come the holidays, the Broadmoor’s decorations and lights have drawn locals for decades. Recently opened, the Ranch at Emerald Valley and Cloud Camp both bring Broadmoor’s level of service to rustic locations in a valley and at the top of a mountain.

for the family. Feed eager giraffes and ride a tram for a bird’s-eye view of tiger habitats.

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STAYS Explore our Colorado Springs Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

VISIT CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO

Sprawling on the mountainside at multiple elevations, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a must

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE BLUEBELL 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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Some devotees believe that Utah has the best powder in the world. Others say it has the most beautiful summers and autumns. We think both are right. Deer Valley’s aspen-covered hillsides, copious amounts of light powder snow, summer concert series and exceptional service makes the resort a five-star experience no matter the season.

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DEER VALLEY HIGHLIGHTS

U TA H

WILD WEST LUXURY

access to the impeccably groomed runs that are a Deer Valley hallmark.

Slopeside with the convenience of ski trails nearby, several of our Signature Residences are situated in the heart of Deer Valley Resort. Rich wood finishes, granite countertops and warm decorations add to the inviting mountain-lodge feel of Inspirato’s stylish accommodations.

ROOM WITH A VIEW

HIGH-ALTITUDE GOLF

The Hawkeye residence’s living room includes a vaulted ceiling, a floorto-ceiling stone fireplace and two-story windows that overlook Deer Valley Resort. When you’re ready to hit the slopes, the Northside Express is just steps away.

When the snow melts, spend some time at Hawkeye’s private community putting green before heading out for a round at a nearby course.

OUTDOOR CONVENIENCE

SKIERS’ PARADISE

Inspirato’s Signature Residences offer deluxe accommodations and easy

Deer Valley Resort’s 2,000 acres make up one of only three ski

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areas in America that are exclusive to skiers—no snowboarders, please.

PARK CITY

Chances are good that you won’t want to leave the comfort of Deer Valley, but if you do, Park City is just minutes away. You’ll find a wide variety of great restaurants, boutique

shopping and fun nightlife options, including the famed Egyptian Theatre, home to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival held each January.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Deer Valley Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY BOVEY CASTLE

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Explore Devon and take a trip back in time. The rolling English countryside is scattered with rustic farmhouses, rural villages and cobbled streets and squares. The history and beauty of the moors and the mystery of historic Stonehenge is England at its most poetic.

DEVON HIGHLIGHTS MICHELIN DINING

Devon boasts MichelinStar-rated restaurants, including the exceptional Gidleigh Park, where head chef Michael Caines serves one of the best meals in Britain inside of a Tudorstyle country house set among 54 acres of gardens and woodlands. CASTLE LIFE

At Bovey Castle, which dates back to the 16th century, the links are consistently rated among the most enjoyable to play.

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ENGLAND

Off the course, there’s falconry, archery, fly-fishing, clay-pigeon shooting and horseback riding. Afterward, refresh at the spa, all within a short walk of the lodges. FAMILY FUN

Children ages 5 and older will enjoy traditional storytelling and imaginative exploits, including drawing, sculpting and painting at Bovey Castle’s Husbandry School. The nearby Miniature Pony Centre offers pony and donkey rides. For a day trip, book passage on the Dartmouth

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Steam Railway and Riverboat Company for a tour of the countryside and coastline. TEA TIME

Enjoy a quintessential British tradition, afternoon tea, held in grand style inside Bovey Castle, with an array of scones, finger sandwiches and homemade cakes served with fine teas. Sip in front of a roaring fire or out on the terrace overlooking the sprawling gardens. ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

Devon has long been

used as the setting for numerous Hollywood films and was the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. See the best of it at the stunning Becky Falls at Dartmoor National Park, Stonehenge and Kents Cavern, the oldest-known settlement in Britain.

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STAYS Explore our Inspirato Signature Stays next to Bovey Castle at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF LINKS AND HOTEL®

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As you cross the sevenarch stone bridge into Doonbeg, you’ll feel the mystical lure of this quaint coastal village. From the ancient ruins brimming with history and the stately manors dotting the Irish countryside to the grand Trump International Golf Links and Hotel®, with its celebrated links course, this is Ireland as you always dreamed.

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DOONBEG HIGHLIGHTS LINKS LOVE

Rated one of Ireland’s top golf courses, Doonbeg was designed by British Open champion Greg Norman on an undeveloped stretch of the Atlantic Coast in County Clare. The scenery is as spectacular as the course, from century-old dunes to windswept views of the Atlantic.

ages to explore. Start in the village with a tour of the mysterious, ancient castle, Bunratty, built in 1425 and restored in 1954, and still home to furnishings from the 15th and 16th centuries. Then saddle up for a spirited horseback ride along the beach at Doughmore Strand or head to sea on an excursion to spot bottlenose dolphins and gray seals.

COASTAL IRELAND

WALLS OF ROCK

County Clare is steeped in history and tradition, which makes it a fascinating place for children of all

The Cliffs of Moher stretch for 5 miles along the Atlantic Coast and soar straight out of the sea

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IRELAND up to 702 feet high. The jaw-dropping view draws millions to the trails along its crest. Rock-climbing instructors will assist you in climbing and repelling down the famed limestone formations in Burren. FINE DINING

At the Trump Hotel, diners can experience chef Wade Murphy’s dual personalities with a table in the awardwinning Long Room, and its menu highlights of langoustine ravioli and fillet of sea bass, or a seat in Darby’s Pub and a hearty

sirloin steak or traditional fish and chips. Head to Ennis in town for an authentic night of food, drink and traditional Irish songs.

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STAYS Explore Inspirato’s Signature Stays in Doonbeg at inspirato. com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE LA VIVELISSE 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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Inspired by original developer Laurance Rockefeller, Dorado Beach is a private Caribbean sanctuary on a glistening coastline. Guests retreat here to tee off on the three championship golf courses, sink into bliss at the open-air spa, splash in the pools and water slides of the Watermill and jump into glorious lagoons with snorkels and surfboards.

DOR ADO BEACH HIGHLIGHTS MAKE A SPLASH

From the sunny golden sands of Dorado Beach’s private beach, you’ll find protected lagoons for easy swimming, coral reefs for snorkeling and opportunities for windsurfing. The beach club includes a family pool and an adult lap pool, poolside cabanas and a hammock garden, shaded by the tall palm trees. GOLF

The avid golfer will appreciate that Dorado

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Beach is the only Caribbean resort offering 54 holes. Even better, the three courses, originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., have been restored to maximize Caribbean sight lines and speed on the greens. These courses have hosted PGA tournaments and golf legends since their beginning in 1955. EXPLORE THE JUNGLE

The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System, El Yunque National Forest is located 90 minutes from the resort. Lace up your hiking shoes

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PUERTO RICO (and bring a bathing suit) to enjoy trails through a lush jungle canopy, with waterfalls along the way.

open-air treatment room perched among the tops of the palm trees at Spa Botánico.

DINING

OLD SAN JUAN

Zafra serves delectable New World and Caribbeaninspired cuisine with views of golf course fairways and mountains in the distance. Dine on fresh ceviche of the day and a classic Criollo sandwich for lunch, or herb-roasted half chicken, mahimahi casserole and rack of lamb for dinner.

San Juan’s history dates back to 1521, when Ponce de Leon founded the original walled city now home to more than 400 restored 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial buildings.

THE SPA

Book a massage in the

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RESIDENCES Explore our Dorado Beach Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE LA LIMONAIA 5 BED / 6.5 BATH

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The cradle of the Renaissance, Florence still dazzles with its elegant combination of history and glamour. Peruse its famous jewelry shops on the Ponte Vecchio and high-fashion boutiques scattered throughout this pedestrian-friendly city. Dine in a restaurant owned by a prince and take in one of the world’s great Western art collections at the Uffizi. The best of Italy awaits.

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FLORENCE HIGHLIGHTS SHOPPING

Mercato de San Lorenzo, located in Piazza San Lorenzo, is where you’ll find a lively and swirling mix of leather goods, clothes, jewelry, wines, cheese and meats for sale much in the same way it’s been sold in Italy for decades. WHEN IN FLORENCE

Eat like an Italian. Try the ravioli de brie con carciofini Morelli (ravioli stuffed with brie, dressed with artichokes) at La Giostra,

which was founded by a prince who loved cooking. At Il Latini, communal tables are the norm and ordering off the menu is discouraged by waiters who will offer their suggestions for the night’s best tastes.

I TA LY PIAZZA DEL DUOMO

Really a collection of sites, this world-famous square features the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Campanile, the Baptistery of San Giovanni and the Loggia del Bigallo. THE LOCATION

UFFIZI GALLERY

Designed by Vasari for Cosimo de’ Medici, the beautiful Uffizi is even more famous for the treasures within, including works by da Vinci, Botticelli, Titian, Raphael and Rembrandt.

Walk to the most famous Florence landmarks, including the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral and Palazzo Pitti.

countryside starts minutes outside the city. Day trips to Siena, Pisa or Lucca are an easy train ride away.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Florence Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destination

LAUNCHING PAD

The classic Tuscan

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE GRAND CANAL 3 BED / 3 BATH

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Known as the Venice of America due to its elaborate canal system, Fort Lauderdale boasts a semitropical climate, fantastic beaches and a big city’s amenities without the showy glitz of its southern neighbor, Miami. Members will check into a suite with a view at the five-star Ritz-Carlton® and enjoy access to the resort’s sprawling pool deck overlooking the ocean.

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FORT LAUDERDALE HIGHLIGHTS RIVERWALK

The Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District strings together the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Art as it continues west from Las Olas Way, the heart of the city’s dining and shopping district.

pick for best meal in the city, and 65 upscale boutiques that can outfit men, women and families in high style. WATER TAXIS

Rather than battle beach traffic, hail a water taxi as it travels the Intracoastal Waterway to beaches in the north and along the Riverwalk district. SPA DAY

DINING AND SHOPPING

Speaking of Las Olas Way, this quaint, pedestrianfriendly district offers more than 30 alfresco dining options, including Yolo, our

The Ritz-Carlton® is home to Fort Lauderdale’s largest luxury spa and the only one in the area to offer “SkinCeutical” anti-aging facial treatments, which

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FLORIDA

use a precise application of Vitamin A to help rid the skin of wrinkles and maintain results longer. The spa’s other signature treatments feature variations on sea salt therapies and gentle exfoliating body scrubs.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Fort Lauderdale Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destination

BEACH

There’s plenty of room to find a quiet spot on Fort Lauderdale’s expanse of sand, but for peoplewatching—and plenty of dining and watering hole options—take a stroll or pedal a beach cruiser down the Beachfront Promenade.

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE STAY DELUXE ROOM 1 BED / 1 BATH

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Sitting on the western shore of the deep blue Lac Léman, Geneva’s beauty and cosmopolitan charm draw visitors from around the world. Surrounded by 10 acres of verdant park land, you’ll find it hard to believe you’re only minutes from the city center and its captivating and quaint cobblestone streets and waterfront promenade.

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GENEVA HIGHLIGHTS LAKESIDE LUXURY

The modernist design of your decidedly Swiss suite at La Réserve will make you feel like one of the many heads of state who’ve stayed here. LAKE GENEVA

Your suite offers impressive views of the grand expanse of this classic lake situated below the towering peak of Mont Blanc, where sailboats navigate the sapphire waters and the beach offers plenty of places to relax.

SWITZERLAND

GETTING AROUND

JET D’EAU DE GENÈVE

With your resort pass, you can access the local trains for free to explore this exciting region known as much for its chocolates as its place in international business. Depending upon the season, you can avail yourself of a complimentary Venetian motoscafo with service to and from Geneva’s city center.

Jet d’Eau is the one of the tallest fountains in the world. Located in the center of Lake Geneva, the city is proud of this attraction. Powerful engines pump 500 liters of water per second to heights of 459 feet.

PATEK PHILIPPE MUSEUM

Fans of beautiful watches flock to this showcase of master watchmakers’ creations.

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GRAND THÉÂTRE DE GENÈVE

Home to the largest stage in Switzerland, this magnificent opera house towers over Place Neuve and was re-opened in 1962 after an extensive makeover.

THE PALAIS DES NATIONS

The palace in Ariana Park has served as the United Nations Office since 1946. Hourlong tours are available in 15 languages.

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Explore our Geneva Signature Stay at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE STARLET 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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GR AND CAYMAN

Relaxation and adventure intersect on Grand Cayman, where your perfect itinerary might include swimming with stingrays in the morning, picnicking in the afternoon and enjoying fresh seafood on an open-air patio with views of the brilliant sunset. A reef just offshore provides not only hours of magnificent snorkeling but also acts as a barrier, to keep the coastline calm and gentle.

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HIGHLIGHTS

can swim with a colony of stingrays in the open sea.

FRONT-ROW SEATS

Any closer and your toes would be in the water. The spacious condominiums and boutique residences are a stone’s throw or short walk to the lapping turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Some with private terraces offer unobstructed views of Seven Mile Beach. SWIM WITH STINGRAYS

Experience Grand Cayman’s marine life up close and personal with a stop at Stingray City, where you

PLAY’S THE THING

Kids will love splashing in the calm waters or snorkeling the colorful coral reef. Miles of white sand beaches invite sunbathers to unwind with a good book and a daiquiri. For a four-legged walking—or trotting—tour of the beaches and the inland hills, guided horseback rides are a unique way to take in the sights. DINING

Island classics like conch

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C AY M A N I S L A N D S stew at Vivine’s Kitchen on the East End and inventive twists such as a jerk-spiced burger at Macabuca Oceanside Tiki Bar & Grill will get you in the laid-back, local islander mood. INDULGE

If the calming blue waters and the gentle ocean breeze aren’t enough, the Silver Rain (a La Prairie Spa at The Ritz-Carlton) can help you fully unwind with a range of hydrotherapy and massage treatments, no matter your pampering preference.

SNORKELING

Cemetery Reef on Seven Mile Beach is a popular snorkeling and reef-diving spot with easy access from the beach, all found in a picturesque setting.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Grand Cayman Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SWITCHGRASS 6 BED / 6.5 BATH

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HILTON HEAD ISLAND

With miles of wide, sandy beaches all accessible by bike, it’s easy to unwind on Hilton Head. But don’t be fooled by the island’s small size. Hilton Head packs a lot into its 60 square miles, including exceptional golf courses, a diverse array of restaurants, charming boutiques and shops, spas and more. It’s no wonder that Hilton Head ranked high on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best in the World Reader’s Choice Awards” in 2011.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Hills Course is one of South Carolina’s finest.

SETTLE IN

Your residences on Hilton Head offer the finest in private luxury paired with a convenient location. Enjoy light-filled interiors and extensive outdoor living areas, replete with private pools and many other amenities.

SOUTH CAROLINA afternoon game of bocce ball, or just relax and let the tide roll in.

FAMILY FUN

HIT THE LINKS

Hilton Head is an ideal family destination. Kids will enjoy playing on the beach, bike rides on the many paved paths or challenging mom or dad to a game of tennis. More interested in water? Rent a kayak or canoe to explore the Lowcountry on a guided tour with a naturalist.

Hilton Head is a world-class golf destination and features more than 20 championship courses designed by the likes of Pete Dye and Robert Trent Jones. The Arthur

Three miles of premier beaches are right outside your door. Get active with an early morning jog or an

BEACH TIME

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INDULGE AND UNWIND

Choose from one of the many treatments and packages available at The Ocean Tides Spa, conveniently located near your residence. SUNDOWNER

Sunsets are a treasured time on Hilton Head. Find prime viewing and good eats at the Quarterdeck in Harbour Town Marina, San Miguel’s in Shelter Cove Marina and the Old Oyster Factory overlooking Broad Creek.

NIGHTLIFE

Head to the Jazz Corner for an upbeat evening of great music and top-shelf libations. The Lodge offers a more relaxed atmosphere in which you can settle in by one of two stone fireplaces with an expertly crafted martini.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Hilton Head Island Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destination

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE WATERWAY 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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Close to Charleston, South Carolina, yet another world away, Inspirato’s residence in the beachfront Wild Dunes Resort introduces visitors to the best of Southern charm on a peaceful barrier island with pristine beaches that have been a luxury vacation spot for South Carolinians since the 19th century.

ISLE OF PALMS HIGHLIGHTS WATER WORLD

With the ocean on one side and lagoons and the Intracoastal Waterway on the other, canoeing, kayaking, boating (including kitesurfing and jet skiing) and fishing are the names of the games. You can stay on the sand if you want and take an eco tour along Boneyard Beach—the name refers to the eroded skeletal remains of oak tree trunks sticking out of the surf. CHILD’S PLAY

The Wild Dunes Resort and

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its award-winning Island Adventures® program will enchant your little ones, thanks to activities ranging from family golf and tennis to nature expeditions and haunted ghost and graveyard tours in nearby historic Charleston. Too scary? There’s always a visit to the South Carolina Aquarium to consider. SWING SET

With 36 holes of championship golf available to guests, golfers can tackle two distinct tastes of South Carolina golf on the Tom Fazio-

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SOUTH CAROLINA designed Links Course along the oceanfront and lagoons and salt marshes that mark the Harbor Course. CHARLESTON

Recognized as one of the top foodie towns in the country, Charleston is bursting with original menus and comfort foods done to perfection. Try Husk, recently named Best New Restaurant in America by Bon Appétit. On the flip side, snack on boiled peanuts and fresh seafood at the Wreck of the Richard & Charlene on Shem Creek.

After dinner, take a stroll through the Southern gothic neighborhoods in the city’s famous Historic District, where grand homes and their secret gardens harken back to the state’s pre-Civil War heritage.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Isle of Palms Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destination

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE BIG HORN 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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Surrounded by the breathtaking Teton Mountains, Jackson Hole combines the charms of the rustic West with the luxuries of an upscale resort. Our spacious homes offer convenient access to Teton Village. With so much to do—whether skiing, sledding, snowshoeing or shopping—you will delight in retiring to your comfortable mountain home after an active day spent with friends and family.

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JACKSON HOLE HIGHLIGHTS

WYOMING dramatic natural elements outside with luxurious comforts found inside.

THE SETTING

restaurants, inviting cafes, cozy après-hike hangouts and eclectic shopping.

Jackson Hole draws outdoorsy types and culture hounds from around the globe with its breathtaking landscape, national parks and Old West charm. At the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the Village features a combination of Swiss and modern architecture and all the amenities you would expect from an internationally renowned vacation destination, while still retaining a quaint charm. Visitors enjoy delicious

PERFECTLY LOCATED

OUTDOOR THRILLS

Our homes provide easy access to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Teton Village, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, the National Elk Refuge, the town of Jackson and so much more. From walls of windows that frame amazing mountain views to expansive deck and patio spaces and tasteful furnishings, you will love how our Jackson Hole homes integrate the

Summer is bright and warm with hiking, fly fishing, golfing, live music and cultural activities galore, while the crisp and clear winter provides legendary mountain terrain and deep powder for worldclass skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, sleigh riding, dogsledding, snowshoeing and more.

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Square is like stepping into the Wild West, complete with friendly cowboys and authentic saloons. Chuckwagon dinners and horseback and stagecoach rides can be found nearby.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Jackson Hole Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

THE WILD WEST

A visit to Jackson’s Town

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE MONTAGE KAPALUA BAY

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Within minutes of arriving at Kapalua in northwest Maui, you’ll understand why Condé Nast Traveler readers voted Maui “Best Island.” Kapalua’s impressive lava fields extend like outstretched fingers from the lush mountains toward the cerulean Auau Channel and the deep Pacific beyond. Our residences are located in the heart of Kapalua’s ethereal Polynesian beauty, basking in the bright sunshine and mere steps away from the area’s dramatic volcanic sands and shore.

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K APALUA HIGHLIGHTS RAINFOREST HIKES

A hike through the Kapalua Maunalei Arboretum Rainforest is an activity that sets this destination apart from beach resorts throughout the islands. The roots springing from banyan trees above are a natural wonder. You can eat a wild guava right off the tree. The view from the top of the trail will take your breath away. SNORKELING

Grab a mask and fins and dive into Kapalua Bay. Natural reefs located just

M AUI, H AWA II

offshore in a sheltered, white sand crescent of calm water boast a spectacular array of marine life. Expect to see butterfly fish, parrotfish and a plethora of crustaceans and invertebrates in one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui. GOLF

Tee off on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort and you’ll understand how you compare to PGA Tour pros, who play a tournament here each January. The 7,411-yard stunner is considered

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one of the best courses in the country, which helps attract the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh to the PGA event. The Bay Course at Kapalua Resort is no slouch either thanks to its 6,600 yards of undulating fairways and exquisite water holes. To beat the course record of 62, you’ll have to avoid its biggest water hazard, the blue waters of Oneola Bay. LOCAL EATS

informal breakfast and lunch—or to put together a picnic for the day. The Farmers Market Maui in nearby Honokowai sells fresh Maui produce, including gold pineapples, strawberry papayas and macadamia nuts.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Signature Residences at Kapalua at inspirato.com/destinations

Located in Kapalua, Honolua Store is a wonderful option for an

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE AZALEA 6 BED / 6.5 BATH

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K IAWAH ISLAND

Experience the charms of the Old South and the luxury of modern conveniences on this intimate, 13-square-mile island untouched by and worlds away from the hectic pace of everyday life. Kiawah Island is not (and never will be) overdeveloped and its shoreline is actually growing. A contrast to the dry landscape of Mexico and the tropical climes of the Caribbean, Kiawah’s topography features lush forests, tidal creeks and freshwater ponds.

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HIGHLIGHTS ANIMAL KINGDOM

Separated from the relative metropolis of Charleston by a short causeway, the island is a natural playground teeming with wildlife. Out here you can catch a glimpse of everything from dolphins to red foxes, Loggerhead sea turtles to white-tailed deer.

the ultimate in relaxed island luxury. They’re close to the beach, golf courses, shopping, restaurants and all that Kiawah has to offer.

Ocean Course, Turtle Point and Oak Point. As always, your Destination Concierge can arrange tee times, club rentals and other logistics.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

GARDEN PARTY

With 30 miles of gentle bike paths, Kiawah is best toured on two wheels. Pedal down the quaint village lanes and boardwalks or cruise down to the beach for a picnic.

A family visit to Middleton Place, the oldest landscaped gardens in the U.S., is another way to enjoy the great outdoors and the historic ambiance that permeates the entire island. Modeled after European classics such as Versailles, the grounds at Middleton will inspire people of all ages to smell the flowers.

SIGNATURE RESIDENCES

Our Kiawah Island Signature Residences comfortably accommodate 10 to 12 guests, depending on the property, and offer

SOUTH CAROLINA

GET TO THE GREENS

You could easily spend your entire vacation on the immaculate, world-class golf courses, including the

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Chef Donald Drake and his team use traditional ingredients and cooking techniques to create upscale Southern cuisine. Try the lowcountry bouillabaisse, grilled chicken Creole or bourbon-glazed porterhouse pork chop.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Kiawah Island Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

SOUL FOOD

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE HALE HONU 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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KOHALA COAST

The greatest thing about the Big Island is that it offers something to entice everyone: long stretches of sandy beach for families and locals’ beaches accessible only by SUV; world-class dining as well as fresh local produce from a farmers market; thrilling activities from helicopter tours and scuba diving to hiking a volcano and exploring a rainforest; and the relaxation of a champagne sail at sunset.

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HIGHLIGHTS VISIT A VOLCANO

You have to visit Kilauea Volcano, the most active island volcano in the world, whether it’s by land or air. Take a two-hour helicopter tour in which you will likely see the volcano in its full fury. Better still, hike through the ancient rainforest to a newly lavapaved crater. BEST BEACHES

If you feel like relaxing in a cabana lounger, head to the south end of the nearby beach and enjoy the sea

BIG ISL A ND, H AWA II

breezes. For a wider expanse of sandy beach that’s great for a morning stroll or for the kids to build sandcastles, we recommend Hapuna. Nearby Kikaua Point Beach has soft sands and calm waters that make it one of the island’s best family beaches.

SNORKELING

SCENIC SUNSETS

Why hike when you can kayak to Captain Cook’s Monument? Kayakers cross Kealakekua Bay, where dolphins greet you in one of the world’s most pristine snorkel and dive areas. Bring your snorkel gear for the calm waters on the other side.

Take a cruise on the Body Glove Sunset cocktail tour. While cruising the historic coastline, watch as the spinner dolphins come out to play. Sit back, relax and enjoy the air flowing through your hair with cocktail in hand.

Consistently rated as the island’s top courses, Mauna Lani Resort boasts a North and South course under the legendary Francis H. I’i Brown moniker. These championship courses

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GOLF

host the PGA Senior Skins Tournament each January. TRAIL TOUR

Discover the captivating Waipio Valley as you journey into its mountains on a horseback tour through lush trails, taro patches, magnificent waterfalls and historical, spiritual sites.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Kohala Coast Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VILLA PERLA 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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Capital of the world’s second-longest peninsula, La Paz means “peace,” and you’ll find it on the Sea of Cortez coast as you lie down on a private, white sand beach or swim in crystalclear waters among a school of technicolor fish. Reach a deserted island by kayak and claim it for the day or try your luck on a fishing charter.

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LA PAZ HIGHLIGHTS PERFECTLY LOCATED

The Sea of Cortez is home to one of the richest marine habitats on Earth. You owe it to yourself to book a snorkeling trip to the uninhabited Isla Espirítu Santo, where you can swim with the sea lions and keep an eye out for dolphins, gentle whale sharks, manta rays, whales and tortoises. From September to February the gray whales return from their summer spent off the Alaskan coast.

MEXICO

GOLF

Inspirato Members staying at the residences at CostaBaja™ can tee off on the resort’s 18-hole course designed by Gary Player, rated a top-10 course in Mexico and noted for its lush greens, ocean vistas and unique mix of desertby-the-sea landscaping. The 7,082-yard, par-72 course challenges golfers on the front nine but offers a more forgiving layout on the back nine.

John Steinbeck in the 1940s and made famous again by marine explorer Jacques Cousteau in the 1960s. Both were drawn to the area’s abundant sea life and the stories they tell. To sample some, head to the humble Bismarkcito for fresh lobster tacos and seafood. Carnivores can try the pork or steak tacos at Rancho Viejo. After polishing off a meal, take a stroll on the city’s Malecón boardwalk along the beachfront.

LA PAZ

WELLNESS

The mellow side of Baja was discovered by writer

From daily yoga on the beach to a full slate of indulgent spa

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treatments, Espiritu Spa at CostaBaja™ resort offers 60 different ways to rejuvenate the body.

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RESIDENCES Explore our La Paz Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY VILLA LA CORTE DEL LAGO 7 BED / 8.5 BATH

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Lake Como’s glistening waters are straight out of a movie and this region in Lombardy has been the backdrop for dozens of Hollywood films. Though the lake’s origin is glacial, you’ll enjoy a Mediterranean climate and mild weather. Artists have flocked here for hundreds of years to find inspiration for their work.

LAK E COMO HIGHLIGHTS TAKE A STROLL

To take in all the grandeur that Lake Como has to offer, walk part of the leisurely Greenway del Lago di Como along the western shores of the water. Should you choose to stroll the entire way from Colonna to Cadenabbia, you’ll cover a six-mile stretch of Roman architecture, gardens and picturesque villages. GET ABOVE IT ALL

Time travel to 1894, the year the Como-Brunate

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funicular railway carried its first passengers from Como to Brunate. This railway is still operational today, traveling to scenic vantage points and the surrounding buttes.

I TA LY

LAKESIDE VILLAS

sit the sublime Gardens of Villa Melzi, a national monument and source of much Italian pride. Open March through November, this two-hour stroll features stunning botanicals and neoclassical architecture.

The 17th century Villa Balbianello can be reached by boat and shuttle. Its architecture, unsurpassed view of the lake and location draw visitors from March through November (closed Mondays and Wednesdays). Private tours are available. On the Bellagio peninsula

The best place to experience Lake Como is on the lake itself. At Pescallo harbor, a guide from Bellagio Water Sports Kayak Club offers four different tours suitable for the entire family and all skill levels.

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STAYS Explore our Lake Como Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

BOATING

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE ALL IN 2 BED / 2.5 BATH

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The luxurious suites at Vdara Hotel & Spa put you in the middle of the best of the Vegas Strip, but its casinofree lobby offers a quiet retreat from the 24/7 bustle of the city. Walk to internationally renowned dining and shopping at Crystals at CityCenter or the luxurious casino at Aria right outside the main entrance to the hotel.

LAS VEGAS HIGHLIGHTS SANCTUARY IN THE SKY

The sprawling two-bedroom suites at Vdara, with their fine appointments and stunning views of the city, offer a welcome homebase to explore the energy and action of Vegas. Members enjoy pool and cabana privileges as well as access to Vdara’s spa and golf at Shadow Creek and Dragon Ridge. FINE DINING

The number of chefs with gourmet venues in Las Vegas grows every year:

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Joel Robuchon, Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer, Tom Colicchio, Alain Ducasse, Andre Rochat and more have created showpiece restaurants that serve unforgettable menus. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Although Cirque du Soleil is an international organization, it seems as if Vegas is their spiritual and creative home, with several completely different shows held in various resorts along the Strip. You really have to see their unique combination of dance and

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N E VA D A dexterity, live theater and acrobatics to believe it. NIGHTLIFE

If Las Vegas doesn’t sleep, should you? From gaming at one of the many casinos to the most exclusive nightclubs that attract DJs from around the world, there’s something fun and vibrant for every visitor under the bright Vegas lights. VEGAS FOR KIDS

Las Vegas isn’t all about decadence; there’s plenty for the whole family to do. From the Shark Reef

Aquarium at Mandalay Bay to Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, a wild ride on top of the Stratosphere or simply watching the dancing fountains at the Bellagio or the pirate ship and volcano at Treasure Island, Vegas delivers.

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RESIDENCES Explore Inspirato’s Signature Residences in Las Vegas at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY CANYON RANCH, LENOX

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An 11-time winner of Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Destination Spa Award, Canyon Ranch knows how to rejuvenate its guests. Set on a century-old New England estate deep in the Berkshires and steeped in local charm, Canyon Ranch offers a welcome respite just a short drive from many East Coast cities.

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LENOX HIGHLIGHTS BE WELL

Take advantage of more than 40 fitness classes available each day, ranging from spin-bike classes to yoga, dance and even one that’ll teach you how to stay in shape on the go using a small, portable fitness kit and a series of exercises. Take your workout outside by joining one of several daily hikes, bike rides, canoe or kayaking excursions. Tennis pros will help you hone your game on the Ranch’s courts.

MASSACHUSETTS

EAT TO YOUR HEALTH

Guests sit down to three meals a day prepared with Canyon Ranch’s commitment to serving delicious, gourmet dishes of meats, seafood and vegetarian options that are also the epitome of a balanced and healthy diet. No matter what your skill level in the kitchen, take part in a daily cooking class where you’ll learn the practical cooking skills and techniques to create menus and dishes that are simple, taste great and are good for your health. Watch and learn as Canyon

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Ranch’s chefs prepare your lunch while sharing easy, time-saving methods. PROGRAMS FOR LIFE

For an extra charge, you’re welcome to take control of your body with assistance from one of Canyon Ranch’s signature, multiday classes: Jumpstart to a Healthier Life, and the weight-loss or stress management programs. Or, work with a series of nutritionists and trainers to design your optimum fitness program for life.

RECUPERATE

The 100,000-square-foot spa complex features a 75-foot indoor pool, indoor tennis and racket-sports courts, Pilates/Gyrotonic® studio, plus a salon and spa that offer an assortment of full-body wraps, scrubs and a range of massage modalities, including Asian, ayurveda and deep tissue.

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Explore our Canyon Ranch, Lenox Signature Stay at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY FALCONERS SUITE 2 BED / 2 BATH

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In London, tradition and ceremony meld seamlessly with the fast pace of a global financial center and a vibrant, modern aesthetic. Mixed in are diverse neighborhoods, world-renowned restaurants, beautiful public parks and history. Around for millennia, England’s capital city pays homage to its past.

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LONDON HIGHLIGHTS TRADITIONAL TEA

When Downton Abbey is airing in Britain—usually mid-September until midNovember—Grosvenor House has a tea inspired by the show. The rest of the year, it’s Anna’s Afternoon Tea, a wonderfully English treat. Sit in the Park Room’s plush chairs looking out on Park Avenue and Hyde Park while sipping tea and nibbling on warm buttermilk scones with Devonshire clotted cream, cream puffs, French pastries and finger sandwiches.

ENGLAND

EXPERIENCE IT ALL

It’s only a short cab ride from Inspirato’s Signature Stays to London’s famous neighborhoods, shopping locations and restaurants. Stroll through the scenic passageways of Mayfair and Knightsbridge—two of London’s elite neighborhood districts—spend the day at Hyde Park, visit international treasures at the British Museum, Tate Museum and National Gallery or pay a visit to Westminster Abbey. WEST END THEATRE

Only New York’s Broadway can compete with the

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West End. Famous movie actors appear on stage here frequently and it’s also known for its many amazing restaurants, making this an unforgettable evening experience.

three floors of viewing platforms almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London. Ask your Destination Concierge for a VIP tour. Floor 72, the highest of the three viewing levels, is open-air.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Great for families, the Queen’s official London residence features 775 rooms, lavish décor and is the site of the Changing of the Guard. THE SHARD

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STAYS Explore our London Signature Stays at inspirato.com/ destinations

The city’s tallest building and one of the most visually arresting in Western Europe (1,016 feet), The Shard has

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VILLA BUENAVENTURA 5 BED / 7.5 BATH

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Ask several people why they visit Los Cabos and they’ll all cite a different reason. For sport fishers, Cabo is a billfishing mecca. For golfers, the ocean-view championship courses are a must. The nightlife in Cabo San Lucas is endlessly entertaining. If you have kids, a zip line tour over desert canyons might be more your style. Everyone can agree on the beauty of this shimmering jewel by the Sea of Cortez.

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LOS CABOS HIGHLIGHTS SIT BACK AND RELAX

Members staying at the Auberge Private Residences at Esperanza Resort and Punta Ballena Resort have world-class dining and spa access to what Condé Nast Traveler readers call two of the top resorts in all of Mexico. Head down to the beautiful pools, try an awardwinning spa treatment or dine at any number of unforgettable restaurants. Whatever your pleasure, you’ll love your new home on the Baja peninsula.

MEXICO

GOLF

CONVENIENT LUXURY

Los Cabos is home to six championship courses. Test your skills on the desert terrain with the Sea of Cortez as a backdrop.

With stunning ocean views and five-star amenities close at hand, your family won’t need to go far to enjoy the best of Los Cabos.

THE SERVICE

From room service to poolside attendants at many of the residences, your every need is managed. THE SPA

The Spa at Esperanza regularly appears on Travel + Leisure’s best-of lists.

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THE SELECTION

With 21 Signature Residences and one Signature Stay, you have a variety of options for the perfect place to dwell. Your refrigerator will be stocked with everything you request, from bottled water and cervezas to fresh fruits. And you won’t spend a second fretting about

dinner reservations or how to schedule that whalewatching tour or round of championship golf; your Destination Concierge will handle it all.

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RESIDENCES/STAY Explore our Los Cabos Signature Residences and Signature Stay at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SUNDARI 2 BED / 2 BATH

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MIAMI/SOUTH BEACH

Miami Beach’s famed South Beach neighborhood envelops the southernmost blocks of Florida’s main barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. In a word, this international entertainment and nightlife destination is beautiful—both in terms of stunning scenery and gorgeous people. Even the architecture is enticing.

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HIGHLIGHTS HOT SPOT

If you’re in Miami Beach, there’s only one place to be: South Beach. A stay at the Setai is as good as it gets. This hip oceanfront resort is intimate and peaceful yet spectacularly chic. Our 19thand 37th-floor residences feature views of the ocean and downtown Miami, as well as access to three beachfront pools, a worldclass spa and fitness center, valet parking and beach attendants ready to serve you surfside.

FLORIDA

THE CLUB SCENE

ECLECTIC SHOPPING

ART DECO

With hundreds of clubs, bars and other establishments, South Beach is one of the world’s hottest nightlife destinations. GLOBAL DINING

South Beach is bustling with couture labels, antique shops, fashionable galleries, quirky boutiques and retail outlets. Lincoln Road, an open-air pedestrian mall, is the premier shopping area.

Gourmands flock to South Beach for its global cuisine, fresh ingredients, celebrated restaurants and notable chefs. Whether you desire elegant dining, traditional Latin spice, fresh sushi or anything in between, you will find it in South Beach.

Tucked amidst the skyhigh resorts and chic, contemporary venues that frame Miami’s waterfront, the petite Art Deco District makes a statement with more than 800 beautifully restored buildings in just 1 square mile.

A collection of Miami’s barrier islands constitute sunny South Beach, and wherever you choose to stay, eat and play in this neighborhood, you’re never far from the water.

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SUN WORSHIP

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RESIDENCES Explore our Miami Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SHEARWATER 5 BED / 5 BATH

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Nantucket’s mere 47 square miles belie the number of ways there are to play on this charming island. You can explore the peaceful beaches lining the island’s many idyllic inlets and bays, take to the water in a rented boat or on a guided tour, or simply spend a long afternoon engrossed in a good book or tracking the graceful flight of coastal birds.

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NANTUCK ET HIGHLIGHTS HAVE IT YOUR WAY

From charming seaside cottages to an in-town escape or a sprawling seaside estate, our residences offer the best of Nantucket any way you’d like to approach it. And of course, they all feature touches and amenities that meet Inspirato’s exacting standards.

MASSACHUSETTS

raw, unpopulated stretches of coast where the only amenities are what you bring, Nantucket’s beaches offer an experience to suit every taste. FRESH CATCH

BEACHES IN ABUNDANCE

The Lobster Trap has been catching tourists and locals alike for more than 40 years. With a lobster tank up front, your hand-picked dinner awaits. This go-to seafood spot always serves up the best the island has to offer.

From seaside service, watching the evening colors settle over the ocean with your favorite cocktail, to

The Nantucket Historic District, which comprises

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the entire island, seamlessly blends a rich maritime history with upscale shopping, restaurants and other amenities. Be sure to visit one of the island’s museums, including the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum and the Whaling Museum. BIKE TOURS

Nantucket may be only 3.5 miles wide and 14 miles long, but it boasts more than 25 miles of bicycle trails. Ask your Destination Concierge to arrange rental bikes to explore the island.

LOCAL ONLY

The fine shopping on Nantucket has a distinctly local flavor—so local, in fact, that no chain stores or restaurants are allowed on the island.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Nantucket Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SAND CASTLE 4 BED / 3.5 BATH

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With sun-drenched beaches, temperate waters and abundant natural beauty, Naples is an ideal setting for outdoor activities. You can play on the beach, head downtown to shop at eclectic boutiques and dine on local seafood or venture into the tropical wilderness of the Everglades.

NAPLES HIGHLIGHTS THE LOCATION

Our Sand Castle residence is centrally located yet feels like a private oasis. The home features a gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry, a large master suite with a private balcony and clawfoot tub, a spa and pool, a grand staircase and marble floors. SEASIDE ACTIVITIES

Explore the area’s pristine coastline with a snorkeling excursion or a fishing trip. Take to the skies for an exciting float-plane tour.

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FLORIDA

EXPLORE THE WILD EVERGLADES

Explore the nearby Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve with a guided kayak ecotour, jungle cruise or swamp safari. SEAFOODIE’S DELIGHT

In close proximity to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, Naples has no shortage of freshly caught local seafood. Domestic favorites, international flavors and chef-inspired fusions abound around town, whether you’re dining

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at a relaxed waterside restaurant or in one of the city’s many upscale dining rooms.

alfresco kitchen and gas grill, as well as a recently rebuilt pool and spa.

GOLF MECCA

Spend a day at the beach, browse enchanting boutiques or indulge in homemade gelato—it’s all just a short walk from your front door.

EXPLORING NAPLES

With more courses per capita than any area in the world, Naples is a golfer’s paradise. An Inspirato vacation gives you access to some of Naples’ finest and most challenging courses with unique designs and stunning views no matter where you tee off. GREAT OUTDOORS

Enjoy exceptional outdoor living spaces with an

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RESIDENCE Explore our Naples Signature Residence at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY SUNSET HILL 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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When you unwind at the Four Seasons Nevis in the West Indies, you’re surrounded by stretches of pristine, quiet beaches and an appreciation of life at a slower pace. The 36 square miles of this island are populated by warm, friendly people. Our secluded residences are found in the development adjacent to the main resort. You’ll feel right at home in this small-town atmosphere with access to swimming pools, world-class tennis courts and golf.

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NEVIS HIGHLIGHTS NATURAL SPLENDOR

Embark through the Upper Rawlins on an herb tour with a local islander. Michael will take you on a show-and-tell tour of the same bush medicine that the women in his family of generations past used to treat aches, sores, diabetes and infections. Wake up before dawn for a moderately challenging two-hour hike past two tropical ravines and into a cave that will lead you to a magnificent, panoramic view of the island.

WEST INDIES

The slopes of Nevis Peak are home to both rainforest and the ruins of coconut plantations. This moderate hike will take you through trees, tropical plants, bamboo and massive volcanic boulders. If you’re in the mood for a more challenging hike, take the Butler’s Source route to see the Prison Farm (also known as Russell’s Rest). You’ll also see monkeys and cocoa trees. HISTORIC CHARLESTOWN

Charlestown is the birthplace of one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton.

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Today you can tour his family home, which has been carefully reconstructed. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, visit the Charlestown’s Market Place. Between March and April, watch cotton being harvested. MONKEY BUSINESS

Vervet monkeys inhabit Nevis. These social creatures have silver bodies and black faces. Four Seasons offers a Sunset Monkey Tour Excursion to take you to the monkeys’ natural forest habitat by way of a guided tour.

TEE OFF

Neighboring island St. Kitts is visible in the distance from the Nevis golf course, a Robert Trent Jones II par-71 layout. Built around a historic sugar mill, this spectacular course challenges players with elevation changes.

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STAYS Explore our Nevis Signature Stays at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY TRUMP CENTRAL PARK™

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No matter what your heart desires, New York reigns supreme with its world-class dining, culture, nightlife and more. In the city that never sleeps, one visit is never enough. Inspirato puts you in the heart of it so you can get the most out of your visit. HIGHLIGHTS DESIRABLE LOCATIONS

At Trump SoHo™ New York, one of Manhattan’s most renowned hoteliers welcomes you to the highly desirable location where

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NEW YORK CITY SoHo meets Tribeca and the West Village—as well as the neighborhood’s outstanding art galleries, fine dining and boutiques. Trump Central Park™ puts you right on Central Park West across from one of the world’s greatest parks and some of the city’s best restaurants and shopping at nearby Columbus Circle. Both Trump properties feature floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views of Manhattan and a spacious living area for entertaining. The Gramercy Park

Hotel sits across from the key garden at Gramercy Park, one of the city’s most exclusive squares and close to NYU and the action around Union Square. The hotel distinguishes itself with embroidered chairs, red oak floors and marble bathrooms. Those wanting a Midtown hotel can stay at The Pierre, one of Manhattan’s most iconic luxury hotels, situated across Fifth Avenue from Central Park.

NEW YORK contemporary fusion bistros to favorite stops in Chinatown, foodies of every description will find something to expand their culinary horizon. SHOPPING

Start with the haute boutiques on Madison Avenue, swing through Barneys, Bloomingdale’s and Bergdorf Goodman, then head to the artist mecca-turned-stylishoutdoor-mall that is SoHo.

FINE DINING

NIGHTLIFE

From the most exquisite steakhouses to

Looking for an early dinner and a ticket to a Broadway

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show? Interested in hip clubs in your fancy attire? Or do you love live music from the celebrities of opera to the skinny jeans of indie rock? You’ll find all that and much, much more.

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE THISTLE 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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Take your place among the palatial mansions that were once home to famous yachtsmen and Gatsbyera tycoons at Carnegie Abbey, a classic club offering an equestrian center and tennis facilities. Inspirato’s residences sit alongside a Scottish-style links course. HIGHLIGHTS GRAND ESTATES

No visit to Newport is complete without a tour of the historic mansions that dot the rocky coastline. Check out the opulence

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NEWPORT of the Breakers, mining heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs’ Rosecliff, based on Versailles, or the stately grounds of The Elms. Stroll the famous Cliff Walk for views of the back sides of these expansive estates. DINING

Order a steaming bowl of clam chowder from the Black Pearl on the town’s bustling waterfront or find a meal that everyone agrees on, from elegant seafood to family style Italian along Bannister’s Wharf. For a more intimate experience, book a

RHODE ISLAND

reservation for the Chef’s Table with chef Andy at Carnegie Abbey. Combine beautiful scenery with dinner on the Newport Dinner Train, which heads up the coastline.

Walk, Easton’s is where Newport comes to unwind with free weekly concerts, a carousel and perfect sand for constructing ambitious sandcastles.

NARRAGANSETT BAY

Guests at Carnegie Abbey can tackle the traditional Scottish-style links course with its sod bunkers and seaside location designed by Donald Steel to blend into the resort’s mature woods, wetlands and colonial-era stone walls. Equestrians can find peace exploring the resort’s 7 miles of picturesque trails

LIFE OF LEISURE

Rent sea kayaks and paddle along the rocky coastline, exploring coves and hidden bays. Schedule a sail on a classic America’s Cup racing yacht for a private matchrace on the open water. EASTON’S BEACH

As Newport’s only ocean beach, adjacent to the Cliff

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or take lessons on English riding from the instructors. The tennis facility and its staff work with the Newport Tennis Smash to bring pros such as Todd Martin, Stan Smith and Rod Laver to the resort for private clinics.

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE POLARIS 3 BED / 3 BATH

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NORTHSTAR

With 12 major mountain resorts in two states offering every imaginable sport and amenity, Tahoe truly has something for everyone—every season, every day and every night. You’re guaranteed to find adventure while visiting Lake Tahoe.

HIGHLIGHTS ONE VILLAGE PLACE

Located at the base of Northstar California resort, your Inspirato residence at One Village Place takes what people expect from exclusivity and adds a dash of charm and convenience to the mix. NORTHSTAR MOUNTAIN

Though casual in vibe, the revamped village, new gondolas and Burton Academy snowboard lessons make Northstar the hot new place to ski or snowboard. While it

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L A K E TA H O E , C A L I F O R N I A

has approximately half the number of runs of Squaw Valley, Northstar is more kid-centric than Squaw, especially for teens, boasting more terrain parks and a wide range of ski and snowboard lessons for children. BIG SPRINGS EXPRESS

Direct, private access to an in-residence gondola means that you’ll never have to wait for a ride up the mountain. MOUNTAIN GOLF

Unforgettable golf courses such as Northstar-at-

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Tahoe, Old Greenwood and Gray’s Crossing—offer superb summer greens and gorgeous views. STAY ACTIVE

With a dozen major ski areas, golf courses, trails, streams, dozens of restaurants and unique shopping opportunities at every turn, Tahoe is the ideal destination in summer or winter.

private fitness centers and more. Kits for s’mores can be purchased at the Cabana Bars, and you can relish them next to one of the fire pits in the Village.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Northstar Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

THE VILLAGE AT NORTHSTAR

The mountain village provides access to five-star dining, boutique shopping,

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SIGNATURE STAY WALDORF ASTORIA DELUXE SUITE 1 BED / 1 BATH

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Orlando is home to America’s most beloved theme parks: Walt Disney World®, Universal Studios Orlando®, Discovery Cove, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not among them. From accommodations at the Waldorf Astoria or Villas of Grand Cypress, you’re close to first-rate shopping, hundreds of superb dining options and more than 2,000 lakes in the greater area—an ideal getaway for families and groups with a diverse set of interests.

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ORLANDO HIGHLIGHTS FIND YOUR THEME

One of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World® Resort, Magic Kingdom® Park is known for its firework displays over Cinderella Castle, musical parades, Adventureland®, Frontierland®, Liberty Square, Fantasyland®, Main Street, U.S.A.® and Tomorrowland®. Disney’s Hollywood Studios® is dedicated to the love of show business. Enjoy a 3-D Muppets show or play with one of

the dozens of interactive exhibits. Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure® is geared toward adrenaline junkies with coasters and other thrilling rides. The famous Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ is also found here.

FLORIDA GO GATORS

Ever wanted to see 3,000 gators, 89 crocodiles and a variety of snakes all in a single place? At Gatorland, get up close and personal with these feared creatures by feeding, holding and interacting with them.

FLOWER POWER

COAST IS CLEAR

Take a drive to Winter Park, where you’ll find Kraft Azalea Garden, an 11-acre retreat with tree-lined paths and thousands of azaleas. Bring a blanket and cuddle up for the spectacular sunset views over Lake Maitland.

Both Clearwater Beach and Saint Petersburg Beach are pristine, white sand retreats with beautiful Gulf water—perfect for a day trip.

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Smokehouse on Fairbanks Avenue for a savory dinner. Be prepared to wait for a while as this high-demand restaurant often has a line out the door.

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STAYS Explore our Orlando Signature Stays at inspirato.com/ destinations

BARBECUE LOVE

Stop at 4 Rivers

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VILLA REJUVENATION 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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Long a favored escape for Hollywood’s elite stars and star-makers, Palm Springs is now a unique mix of resortstyle leisure and amenities, stark desert, mountain landscapes and iconic mid-century modern design. Golfers, hikers and architecture fans will all find something to love about this antidote to the hustle and bright lights of Hollywood.

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PALM SPRINGS HIGHLIGHTS

set on 550 acres of Native American tribal property.

100 WAYS TO GOLF

With more than 100 golf courses in the Coachella Valley, and warm, sunny days year-round, it’s not easy to choose where to tee up. Our faves: Escena Golf Club, a top-ranked 18hole championship course known for unobstructed sightlines of the San Jacinto Mountains and generous driving corridors, and Indian Canyons Golf Resort. Once upon a time, Hollywood celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope played this course,

CALIFORNIA pine trees and meadows await—and in the winter, even snow.

GO REMOTE

The breathtaking boulder formations and gnarled branches of the Joshua trees inside Joshua Tree National Park make for a memorable day trip to a place that feels like the other side of the world. VIEW FROM ABOVE

Thanks to the Aerial Tramway, visitors can ride a gondola 2.5 miles up the flanks of Mount San Jacinto to 8,516 feet, where an alpine oasis of

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FAMILY ATTRACTIONS

Stay cool at the sprawling water park, Wet ’n’ Wild, with its series of pools and slides. Or pay a visit to the Living Desert, a zoo and conservation area where you can come face-toface with animals ranging from Mexican wolves to javelinas, giraffes and cheetahs in a beautiful desert setting. CULINARY STARS

Palm Springs contains

a wonderfully diverse restaurant scene. Our faves: Tinto, a Basque wine bar from Iron Chef winner Jose Garces; local favorite Spencer’s for its modern American fare (try the lobster potstickers with chili aioli); or Alicante for divine Mediterranean food as delicious as the people watching.

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RESIDENCES Explore Inspirato’s Palm Springs Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE BLUE HERON 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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PALMETTO BLUFF

Encircled by ribbons of rivers and streams trickling through marsh to a pristine Lowcountry landscape, Palmetto Bluff retreats from the modern world into its own peaceful splendor. Within the gates of this master-planned Montage resort community, you’ll bike the quiet streets, play a game of bocce on a perfectly manicured lawn and gently recline in rocking chairs on a spacious, screened-in porch.

HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL FLAIR

A number of unique festivals and regionally inspired events provide visitors with rich, cultural experiences in this beautiful region in a fun, vibrant setting. The ongoing Music to Your Mouth celebration is a local favorite, culminating in the weeklong Culinary Festival that showcases top chefs, winemakers, musicians and artists. DINING

For casual everyday dining with scenic views of

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majestic oaks and pristine golf course fairways, the May River Grill at the Clubhouse can’t be beat. This Bluffton gem features delicious local dishes and contemporary American favorites in a relaxed yet upscale setting. STEP BACK IN TIME

When you really want to unwind, retreat to a more peaceful way of life. There are fewer people in this beautiful private community than on a cruise ship. The sunny neighborhood streets encourage relaxing on the

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SOUTH CAROLINA porch and spending quality together time. It’s the exclusive community that time forgot but discerning travelers will always remember. FAMILY FUN

Within this idyllic resort community, you’ll find a world of activities to occupy you and your kids for days on end. Ask your Destination Concierge to arrange horseback riding lessons or a family ride. Your kids can splash in the pool, catch the breeze on a boat and try their hand at bocce. There’s also a

shooting range and a boat center with kayaks and canoes. DAY TRIP

The historic city of Savannah is 30 minutes away and offers a wealth of Southern charm, including grand house tours of the Isaiah Davenport House Museum and the Mercer House.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Palmetto Bluff Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY LA RÉSERVE 2 BED / 2 BATH

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Paris is the crossroads for the world’s best art, cuisine, architecture and many other marvels. The city is also your palette for opportunity. Enjoy a fresh baguette on the banks of the River Seine, photograph the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral, breathe in the Champs Élysées after a spring rain, pause to enjoy a streetside concert— Paris is truly a feast for the senses.

PARIS HIGHLIGHTS LUXURY AND CONVENIENCE

The spirit of luxury is evident in every detail of your Inspirato property at La Réserve, and thanks to an exceptional setting near the Place du Trocadéro Gardens in the upscale 16th arrondissement—home to diplomatic embassies and museums—the best of Paris is an easy walk away. FOODIE HEAVEN

When it comes to pleasing the palate, there’s no place like Paris. Follow your

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FRANCE

nose to the smell of fresh, buttery croissants baked at the corner bakery to the local fromagerie selling more than 100 varieties of artisanal cheeses. Wine lovers can take a seat at a bustling wine bar serving bistro classics with rare vintages. Or indulge in the elegant and sublime creations of the city’s Michelin-starred chefs. MUSEUMS

You can easily spend a full day exploring the treasures at the Musée du Louvre, but be aware that truly seeing the art of Paris

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involves the entire city. Centre Pompidou flaunts the largest collection of modern art in Europe, and any wine enthusiast requires quality time at the Musée du Vin. JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG

Revered for its role in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, the Luxembourg Gardens appeal to families and lovers alike with their tranquil setting and elaborate fountains. Stroll the pathways or relax on a bench and enjoy the most Parisian of scenes.

LA CINÉMATHÉQUE FRANÇAISE

The Cinémathéque offers daily screenings from its vast collection, the largest in the world.

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Explore our Paris Signature Stay at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VENADO DIEZ 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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PENINSULA PAPAGAYO

Welcome to Costa Rica’s most exclusive peninsula, where a private beach club, world-class marina and yacht club await and guests can tee off on the Arnold Palmer Signature golf course. Residences climb the lush hillside, offering a steady breeze and breathtaking views across the Papagayo Gulf.

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HIGHLIGHTS DIVE IN

Snorkel right off the beach in the shallows of the bay, keeping an eye out for an elusive tortoise. Kayak to the nearby sea caves in search of sea life hiding in the calm waters. Surfers can head to the break at Ollie’s Point. Don’t know how to surf? No problem; a lesson from the locals at Tamarindo on the beach town’s mellow surf break will have you up on your feet and shouting with joy inside an hour.

MARINA DISTRICT

Marina Papagayo is the country’s first and only luxury marina, with slips large enough for the Pacific’s most luxurious and largest yachts. HERO GOLF

Home to some of the most dramatic holes in the country, the golf course at the Four Seasons sits atop the highest plateau on the peninsula, affording views across the Bahia de Culebra and holes perched on cliffs high above the Pacific. Take note of the wildlife; the

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C O S TA R I C A

club is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary teeming with a diversity of wildlife, including howler and white-faced monkeys. BEACH CLUB

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RESIDENCES Explore our Papagayo Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

Drop down to the Prieta Beach Club and Spa for beachfront snorkeling, a lap pool, spa treatments and a relaxing day on the sand. It’s also home to the Peninsula Discovery Program, which offers a range of activities from camping safaris and trail rides to outrigger canoe trips and surfing lessons.

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE STAY IBIS 2 BED / 2.5 BATH

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Playa Flamingo, on Costa Rica’s Northwestern Pacific coastline, exemplifies the beauty of Costa Rica, offering long stretches of sandy beaches and close proximity to several world-class surf spots. This small beach hamlet also boasts a marina, entertainment, shopping and dining within walking distance of your residence. Additional activities include horseback rides, whitewater rafting, ATV tours and golf.

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PLAYA FLAMINGO HIGHLIGHTS

only steps away from your residence.

RESIDENCES

Set upon a sprawling, white sand beach in the heart of Guanacaste’s Gold Coast, your open-air beachfront villa draws the outside in with floor-toceiling glass doors and dual, oversized terraces. Inside, the open living space includes a gourmet kitchen, wet bar, wine cooler and vaulted ceilings. Although you might never want to leave the master suite, with its marble bath and private terrace, pristine Playa Flamingo beach is

UNDER THE SEA

The Pacific coast of Costa Rica offers the best diving, despite having less coral than the Caribbean side. Dive centers usually take guests to the nearby Santa Catalina Islands, where divers will see plenty of big fish, whales, manta rays, turtles and more. LEARN TO SURF

Some of the best surfing in Costa Rica can be found at Tamarindo Beach in the northwest, where you’ll

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C O S TA R I C A find mellow breaks perfect for a first-timer. More advanced surfers can try Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point, known for their big waves. NOT EXACTLY PALEO

Get up close to area wildlife at Palo Verde National Reserve, where you’ll travel by boat through the waterways; crocodiles swim next to your boat, monkeys may join you on board, and you’ll see iguanas and thousands of birds along the way.

COME SAIL AWAY

A sunset cruise along the coastline makes for a perfect romantic evening. Board a catamaran at the beach right in front of your residence and embark on a sail in search of ocean wildlife while enjoying the stunning scenery.

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CHÂTEAU ROSINE 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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When you enter southern France’s quaint and picturesque Provence region, you’ll understand how the area’s beauty inspired master artists to create some of the world’s most famous paintings. Stroll through fields of sunflowers in this sunny expanse framed by the Alps and the Mediterranean coastline. Explore hilltop towns or medieval fortresses and Roman ruins.

PROVENCE HIGHLIGHTS PERSONAL TOUCH

Your Destination Concierge has personal relationships with local growers and extensive knowledge of each town’s market day. Vineyards are available right outside the front door of your chateau. With Inspirato’s help, you’ll fully experience the pure flavors, culture and character of Provence and the Luberon Valley.

Inhale the delicate scent of lavender floating in the air.

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Your Destination Concierge knows a skilled lavender grower who also has a distillery in his field. You can see where the lavender oil is made and buy a fresh bottle. The scent of this completely pure product will evoke memories of your vacation for years to come.

wind through town. For antique lovers, this town is a paradise. Locals also come here for the fresh fish; order the trout almandine at le Vivier and your entrée will have been swimming minutes prior to arriving at your table.

TRUFFLE TASTING

In nearby Avignon, you’ll definitely want to see the famous Palais des Papes and the Pont d’Avignon. In addition, because the pope provided Jews refuge from the French king in the 14th century, the region boasts beautiful synagogues as

CATHEDRALS

The House of Wine and Truffles offers truffle education and wine tastings. ANTIQUE SHOPPING

FRESH LAVENDER

FRANCE

L’Isle sur la Sorgue is known as the Venice of Provence for the canals that

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well as cathedrals dating back to those days. DINING

Overlooking the Palais des Papes, La Moutardier delights with ambiance and cuisine alike. Friendly, impeccable service will help non-French speakers with the menu, which delivers classic French cuisine.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Provence Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CASA CANA 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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Once an off-the-beatenpath destination, the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana is now home to one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean—and for good reason. La Altagracia province’s pristine, white sand beaches, the heart of the Punta Cana region, are tailor-made for lounging, and the aquamarine waters that lap at its ribbon of shoreline invite worldclass reef snorkeling.

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PUNTA CANA HIGHLIGHTS

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

offer a stunning backdrop for a day of sunbathing.

BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE

A trip to Punta Cana is all about dedicated, donothing beach time. For people watchers and water sports lovers alike, Playa Bávaro offers a gorgeous expanse of silky white sand punctuated by a string of resorts, restaurants and amenities. Or for sweet seclusion, head north along the coast, passing Playa El Cortecito and Playa Arena Gorda, to claim your beach towel territory on Playa Macao. The dramatic cliffs and sheltered cove

BOATING

Punta Cana’s dazzling beaches are even lovelier from the water. Charter your own speedboat from an adventure outfitter such as Bávaro Splash and explore the Punta Cana shoreline at high speed, or sail aboard a glassbottom power cat with Marinarium Tours for a more serene day at sea. GET LUCKY

If you’re feeling lucky, head to the new Hard Rock Hotel

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& Casino Punta Cana. It has lots of gaming options that include blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat, plus more than 380 slots and video poker games. DINING

Bamboo, a sophisticated venue at Tortuga Bay, is a treat for those who like their food and wine with a side of design: The elegant interior space, featuring contemporary plantationstyle furnishings and crisp, white linens, was conceived by none other than Oscar de la Renta— and the Mediterranean

cuisine will certainly not disappoint. GOLF

Some of the very best golf courses in the Caribbean curve along this dazzling coastal region, including courses designed by Nicklaus, Fazio, Dye and Faldo.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Punta Cana Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE EL TESORO 4 BED / 4 BATH

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Surrounded by lush jungle and the deep blue of the Pacific, Punta de Mita is a Mexican peninsula located on the same latitude as Hawaii and it boasts a similar climate. The peninsula’s natural charm attracts visitors year-round— specifically to the quiet oasis of Los Veneros Resort Residences and Beach Club.

PUNTA DE MITA HIGHLIGHTS BEACH LIVING

Removed from the hectic beach resort towns of Mexico, Inspirato’s penthouse residences at Los Veneros Resort Residences and Beach Club on the Punta de Mita peninsula offer a soothing oasis close to, yet removed from, bustling Puerto Vallarta. SAYULITA

This quaint fishing village 30 minutes away is the ideal destination for a family getaway to test

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your surfing skills, as it’s home to some of the best beginner surf breaks—and surf schools—in the world. BANDERAS BAY

The seventh-largest natural bay in the world is home to migrating humpback whales who pass through from December to March. THE BEACH

Playa Destiladeras is literally steps away from our Los Veneros residences. This gently sloping beach is sheltered by rock formations on either side and is ideal

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MEXICO for surfing, snorkeling or just lounging. The private Los Veneros and Real del Mar beach clubs offer restaurants, spas, fitness clubs and more. CATCH AND FEAST

Punta de Mita offers worldclass deep-sea fishing with a bounty of snapper, grouper, roosterfish and mahimahi. Once you’ve reeled in the big one, ask a local restaurant to cook your catch for a true oceanto-table experience. SURF’S UP

Warm water, a variety of

breaks and gentle winds make Punta de Mita an ideal surf destination. From zippy reefs to perfect point breaks and fun, white sand beaches, there is something for everyone. Also try stand-up paddleboarding, a sport that combines a great workout with incredible oceanic sightseeing.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Punta de Mita Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CATALINA 4 BED / 4 BATH

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R ANCHO PALOS VERDES

Minutes from LAX, visitors to the 102 oceanfront acres at Terranea Resort on the far end of the Palos Verdes peninsula can enjoy a round at Trump National Golf Club™ or drop out for a day of pampering with an ocean view. HIGHLIGHTS CHILD’S PLAY

Kids can start their day at the Tide Pool Kids Club, led by expert naturalists, and learn about the fascinating array of marine life along

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the coast. If they want to dive in, they can grab a kayak or surfboard and try their hand at snorkeling. The day wraps up with s’mores and hot chocolate around a roaring, cliffside fire. CATALINA ISLAND

Visible from the resort, Catalina Island lies 22 miles offshore and is a short express ferry ride away. Explore the picturesque harbor village of Avalon Bay, snorkel in its clear blue waters or hike to the top of the island for a view of Los Angeles and the mountains beyond.

BEACH LIFE

The famed South Bay beaches stretching from Redondo Beach to Manhattan Beach, with their broad expanses of sand, volleyball courts, fishing piers and mellow surfing waves, lie minutes to the north via complimentary shuttle. ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

Explore filmmaking’s hometown, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame, shopping along LaBrea and Melrose avenues, a movie at the Chinese Theater or a concert in the hills under

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CALIFORNIA

the stars at the famed Hollywood Bowl. LOCAL FARE

Guests at Terranea can reserve a table at Mar’sel for a fresh twist on California cuisine. Catalina Kitchen offers stunning ocean views and a menu that ranges from roasted Petaluma chicken to swordfish melts. Nelson’s serves up comfort food, microbrews and gorgeous sunsets from their patio, while Bashi blends traditional Vietnamese flavors and contemporary dishes.

PARKLANDS

Despite being surrounded by the sprawl of Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean, the hills above Terranea offer horseback rides and energizing hikes among coastal chaparral, all with views across the ocean to Catalina Island.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Rancho Palos Verdes Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CASA DE LAS HAMACAS 4 BED / 6.5 BATH

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Settled in the 1930s, the sleepy fishing town of Real del Mar sits quietly on a stretch of the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, surrounded by the golden sand beaches of Destiladeras, Punta de Mita, Careyeros and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. This paradise of sun, sand and sea offers a plethora of quaint, artsy shops and galleries as well as activities for the whole family.

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REAL DEL MAR HIGHLIGHTS

Order yours “con todos.” That’s “with everything.”

MEXICO snorkel to the magnificent coral reefs nearby.

LOCAL GOODS

Stock up on fresh fish, baked goods, local produce and salsas at the Sunday farmers market at the marina. If you come with an appetite, treat yourself to a plate of hot paella or a cone of homemade ice cream. Repeat visitors to Real del Mar describe Tacos on the Street as a must for a memorable dinner or late-night snack. Authentic tacos, tostadas and quesadillas are served up on homemade tortillas.

RIVIERA NAYARIT

SHOP SAYULITA

A fisherman’s paradise, you could hoist your line up to find a sailfish, mahimahi, wahoo, amberjack, grouper, yellowfin tuna or snapper. Two of Mexico’s fishing records happened here: an 184-pound razor tooth wahoo and a 709-pound marlin. More interested in swimming with the fish? Your Destination Concierge can schedule a dive to one of countless sites in the Real del Mar area or book a

Known as a laid-back surf town, Sayulita also has great shopping, with galleries and boutiques full of beachwear, glassware, pottery, clay works, jewelry and designer clothing. Don’t miss the market in the town center on Sunday.

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as the most romantic bar in the world, Observatorio offers daybeds, tapas and specialty drinks.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Real del Mar Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

SUNSETS

The Observatorio bar at Imanta Resort captures the absolute best view of the setting sun. Referred to

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SIGNATURE STAY MAYAKOBA GOLF VIEW 3 BED / 3 BATH

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Travel south along Mexico’s Caribbean coast to the Riviera Maya and you’ll enter a pristine world of Mayan archaeological wonders set among jungle preserves and white sand beaches. Dive into mysterious underwater caves, stroll through gardens bursting with flowers and encounter a calliope of butterflies or a bright red macaw.

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RIVIER A MAYA HIGHLIGHTS SAFE HAVEN

Choose between Inspirato residences within the luxurious Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa or the gated resort community at Banyan Tree Mayakoba. Belmond Maroma sits right on the sands on Punta Maroma where the jungle meets the sea. Its private marina offers sailing, snorkeling, Hobie cat sailboats, kayaks and jet skis. Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers additional villas to

members surrounded by 6 miles of freshwater canals and mangroves. CENOTES

Pronounced “sea-no-tays,” these natural wonders are hidden worlds unto themselves with their underwater caves, limestone formations and diverse marine life. THE MAYA

About an hour from Inspirato’s resort options sit the famed ruins of Tulum. Built on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean, the ancient site features

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MEXICO more than 60 preserved Mayan structures dating from the 12th to 15th centuries. Tour the ruins then head down the stone staircase to the stunning beach below. PLAYA DEL CARMEN

Europeans have been vacationing in this seaside town for decades and as a result it has more of a European spin on Mexico than other spots along the coast. Enjoy shopping and a vibrant nightlife driven by DJs that are sometimes flown in from around the world.

COZUMEL

East from Playa del Carmen lies Cozumel (Island of Swallows), a tourist stop for cruise ships and a mecca for SCUBA divers and snorkelers worldwide. Spend the day walking the Mayan ruins or snorkeling the reef at Chankanaab Park.

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STAYS Explore our Riviera Maya Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE IRIS 5 BED / 5 BATH

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Situated along Montego Bay with its crystal-clear waters, soft white sand beach and palm trees, Rose Hall within the Half Moon Resort brings together a quintessential Jamaican experience of colonial charm, vibrant shops and bars along Gloucester Avenue.

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ROSE HALL HIGHLIGHTS NATURALLY JAMAICA

Inspirato Members have access to 2 miles of uninterrupted beach to stake out. Take a break from the salty sea and climb up spectacular Dunn’s River Falls and grab an inner tube to float through the river’s bubbling rapids as they spill into the Caribbean Sea. The resort’s two bottlenose dolphins, Reggae and Toni, will be your swimming partners at the Dolphin Lagoon.

ISLAND CUISINE

For a one-stop dining experience that fuses together the many influences of the region, including Caribbean, European, Asian, African and American, book a table at the Sugar Mill Restaurant. If you’re craving Italian, head to Il Giardino Restaurant or find dual options at Prakash Indian and Thai.

JAMAICA buildings where kids can create puppets or listen to captivating island stories in the Tacoomah hut. PLANTATION HISTORY

Explore the historic Rose Hall Great House that once ruled over the former sugar plantation. You’ll hear about the ghost of the home’s former mistress, Annie Hall, the White Witch of Rose Hall and about the history of the property.

KID FRIENDLY

It’s always playtime at the Anancy Children’s Village, a model Caribbean village with brightly colored

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FUN TIMES

for a delicious buffet and Jamaican treats while being entertained by local performers. Adults can grab a cocktail at Margaritaville and then take a ride on its waterslide from the upstairs bar to the ocean below.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Jamaica Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destinations

Friday evenings, head to the weekly Beach Barbecue on Sunrise Beach

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SUGARWHITE COTTAGE 6 BED / 6.5 BATH

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Rosemary Beach is the perfect place for a family reunion or to simply get away with a few loved ones. With year-round musical and artistic entertainment, along with some of the country’s most pristine beaches, there’s a wide array of highly recommended venues and activities sprinkled throughout several charming neighborhoods.

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ROSEMARY BEACH HIGHLIGHTS FAMILY FRIENDLY

Rosemary Beach was designed with families in mind. Quiet streets invite exploration, and family oriented amenities and activities abound. MANSION IN THE PARK

Eden Gardens in Point Washington is a 163-acre state park on Tucker Bayou and the former home of lumber baron William Henry Wesley. Tour the 1895 mansion, stroll the garden trail or the lawns stretching down to the bay.

BEACH CRUISER

Rent a car and explore Scenic Highway 30-A. Stretching 18.6 miles from Topsail State Park to Inlet Beach, this drive features everything from outdoor antique stores to art galleries to beaches of unimaginably white sand. Or you can rent a cruiser bike and pedal the bike trail.

FLORIDA

Center is just one of many venues to take in some original imagination and talent. RACKET CLUB

A tennis destination, the club maintains eight clay courts—six are lighted for evening play—and a viewing deck for spectators. THE POOLS

ARTS AND CULTURE

With numerous fairs, festivals, exhibits and events taking place throughout the year, this is a culturally rich hub for crafts and artistry. The Bayou Arts

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Rosemary Beach offers access to four amazing beachside and parkside pools, open to residents and their guests. From cabanastyle to infinity-edge pools meant for lounging, enjoy

these beautiful areas to cool down and relax. GREEN FOOD

Restaurant Paradis boasts a commitment to using locally grown produce and produces its own sparkling and still waters served in reusable blue glass bottles.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Rosemary Beach Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SOLANA 5 BED / 4.5 BATH

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One week here is barely enough time to get a taste of what the 70 miles of coastline, dozens of golf courses and hundreds of thousands of acres of rolling hills have to offer. From your home base at either La Jolla or the Grand Del Mar, your family can choose from every type of activity, from lazy beach lounging to themepark touring. If the ocean-view villas and cottages weren’t so cozy, you might never want to sleep during your vacation.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

SAN DIEGO HIGHLIGHTS RESORT LIVING

Start with Inspirato then add one of the world’s few triple five-star resorts, the Grand Del Mar. Choose between accommodations and service that range from cozy to exquisite. You’ll quickly find out why TripAdvisor ranked it the top Luxury Hotel in the U.S. in 2014. AHOY, LA JOLLA!

Explore the striking architecture of the Scripps Institute and the popular beach at La Jolla Cove

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(try snorkeling among the shallows just off shore). You’ll find some of the city’s best shopping and dining along Prospect Street. Everything is a short hop from Inspirato’s Signature Residence Calita. LEGO AND ENJOY

There are few things more exciting to kids than a tour of LEGOLAND® or going on a safari at the San Diego Zoo, and there are few things more enjoyable to a parent than a satisfied bunch of kids.

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PEDAL, PADDLE, PARAGLIDE

Whether by land on a bicycle, by air on a paraglider or by sea in a kayak, sightseeing San Diego need not be conventional. Your Destination Concierge can set up any type of tour you desire.

go. There’s no shortage of ocean-minded eateries up and down the coast.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our San Diego Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

FRUTTI DI MARE

When you’re in San Diego, your menu selections are easy: order the catch of the day. Whether plucked from the waters right off shore or flown in fresh, seafood in San Diego is the way to

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE COCOA 2 BED / 2 BATH

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From the historic cable cars to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is one of the world’s most colorful cities. Perfect for young or mature couples, or small and large families, its attractions and personality fit every visitor. One vacation is never enough. Your Destination Concierge can plan the perfect trip this time and an equally great one the next.

SAN FR ANCISCO HIGHLIGHTS CONTEMPORARY DIGS

San Francisco’s waterfront Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood is home to Inspirato’s two-bedroom residence featuring city views, complimentary parking, dining options at Ghirardelli Square, ferry service to Marin County and easy access to the rest of the city.

for a unique perspective, rent a bicycle and cross the Golden Gate Bridge’s 8,981foot span via the wide, uncrowded walkways.

ON THE WATER

When the skies are clear, there’s nothing better than gaining some perspective of the magical city from the water at its feet. Rent a kayak or take a chartered sailboat ride into the bay to see the famous bridges and sites.

SERVICE

Housekeeping will visit daily to ensure you have everything you need. Following suit, a

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complimentary car service is available during the day, so you needn’t fuss with a rental or taxis.

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TWO WHEELS

The trolley cars are a great way to tour the city. Much of it is easily walkable, but

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EAT WHAT YOU WANT

Menus are so … restrictive. Unless you’re dining at the incomparable Gary Danko, where you can create your own tasting menu to match your mood. Pair the chef’s specialties, such as glazed oysters with osetra caviar, with one of 1,200 bottles in the restaurant’s wine cellar.

ART TOUR

The Legion of Honor houses an impressive collection of fine European art spanning 4,000 years. From its perch atop Lincoln Park, the views of the Golden Gate Bridge are almost as impressive as the pieces on display.

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RESIDENCE/STAYS Explore our San Francisco Signature Residence and Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


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SIGNATURE STAY BELMOND CASA DE SIERRA NEVADA 1 BED / 1 BATH

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SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

This is Mexico as you have never seen it. San Miguel de Allende was declared a World Heritage Site due to its carefully maintained Colonial and Spanish structures. The historic center of the city is a 24-block stretch of walkable, cobblestone streets and alleys filled with authentic Mexican goods. Most famous for its art and culture, the city draws writers and artists from across the world. Isn’t it time for a Mexican retreat?

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HIGHLIGHTS

views on these rides are hard to beat.

SAN MIGUEL

Walking tours of the historic district and tours of Dolores, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Pozos and Patzcuáro are just a few of the opportunities available to familiarize yourself with the magical city. SADDLE UP

Xotolar Ranch is a family operated working ranch. See the surrounding national sites and local flora on horseback. Located on a high plateau overlooking the city, the

SPRING FLING

Don’t miss a hot soak in the public springs of La Gruta, a 20-minute drive from your accommodations. If you prefer a little more privacy, make a reservation for the underground, thermal tunnels at the Mayan Baths.

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70. If tennis is more your speed, visit the courts at Malanquin Country Club for a match. MERCADO DE ARTESANIAS

Nestled near the Mercado Ignacio Ramirez between Calle Colegio and Calle Loreto is the Mercado de Artesanias, a street market stretching three city blocks. It features local, handcrafted goods.

you’re interested in a facial, massage, herbal wrap, exfoliation or reflexology, book your appointment in advance of your arrival to ensure availability.

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Explore our San Miguel de Allende Signature Stay at inspirato.com/destinations

GOLF

Ventanas de San Miguel is a Signature Nick Faldo golf course. The Ventanas golf course is an 18-hole, par

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SAY “SPA”

Laja Spa at Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada offers a variety of lush services. If

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE SONORA 4 BED / 4 BATH

SCOTTSDALE

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It’s the incredible collection of golf courses that truly sets Scottsdale apart. Members can play a different course every day during their visit. From a central location at some of Scottsdale’s most exclusive addresses, Paradise Valley, the area’s 200+ courses are a short drive away.

courses; Gainey Ranch and its three separate nine-hole courses that can be mixed and matched to challenge players’ power game, accuracy or ability to stay out of the water hazards; and Seville with its Gary Panks course set against the gorgeous San Tan Mountains backdrop.

HIGHLIGHTS

James Beard Foundation award-winning chef Douglas Rodriguez serves up what he calls Nuevo Latino cuisine at Deseo. Start with his tres ceviches or shrimp chicharron before moving on to lamb chops with truffle chimichurri.

SWING SET

Did we mention the golf? Seriously, golf enthusiasts will salivate over access to these private clubs: Anthem with its two Steve Nash-designed

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FOOD LOVERS

And don’t forget the wine list, considered one of the best in the state. Talavera strives to source its ingredients from local purveyors—even the olive oil comes from nearby—to create American cuisine that’s as fresh as it gets. Old-school charm denotes the French menu and small seating at Petite Maison, where classics such as escargot and cassoulet are always on the menu. SPRING TRAINING

Every March, pro baseball players come to the area to gear up for the next season or

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ARIZONA make the cut and join the big leagues. Scottsdale is home to the facilities for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants. That’s in addition to the 12 other clubs’ spring-training complexes spread across the metropolitan area. SHOPPING OASIS

Often referred to as “the Beverly Hills of the Southwest,” Scottsdale is home to the Biltmore Fashion Park, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Fendi and more. Farther east, Scottsdale Fashion Square houses Barneys New York, Neiman

Marcus, Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co., Ferragamo and others. For trendy boutiques on the cutting edge, pay a visit to the Mix Shops of Southbridge.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Scottsdale Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE ESTUARY 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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The Lowcountry beckons you to the balmy Georgia coast and Sea Island, home to the storied Cloister Hotel, the seaside vacation choice for industrialists and U.S. presidents for more than 80 years. There’s PGA-caliber golf, shooting, fishing, worldclass shelling and even a historic bingo game that comes with a dress code.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

SEA ISLAND HIGHLIGHTS HUNT CLUB

At the Broadfield, the sporting set can practice their shots at the range, and during birding season, hunt for quail and pheasant over 500 acres alongside trained dogs. Try something different with Harris’s hawks, goshawks and peregrine falcons. The Sea Island Shooting School, nearly as old as the Cloister itself, has taught generations of visitors to handle a gun and shoot it the right way.

LABOR OF LOVE

Professional golfer Davis Love III calls Sea Island home, thanks to its three courses built around beaches, marshes and woods. The Seaside Course hosts the annual McGladrey Classic, organized by Love himself. GHOST BEACH

The unusual, stunning Driftwood Beach is renowned for the beautiful driftwood scattered on its sands as well as the giant oaks and pines buried upside down in the sand with their roots exposed to

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GEORGIA the sky. The effect is a tree graveyard that’s a sight to behold. CAMP CLOISTER

On any given day, the Cloister’s children’s program may involve sailing lessons, instruction at the shooting range and hands-on biology lessons from the resort’s naturalists that could vary from crabbing to tending a turtle’s nest. LOWCOUNTRY, GEORGIA

Other seaside destinations may promise turquoise waters and a landscape

scraped clean and replanted, but the Cloister’s is more comfortable: Spanish moss drapes the oaks and while the water isn’t crystal clear, it teems with life. The dunes capture the flotsam and jetsam of the sea—and make it a wonder to explore.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Sea Island Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE GOLDENLEAF 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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SNOWMASS VILLAGE

Snowmass Village is a charming mountain hamlet surrounded by majestic peaks and some of the country’s most coveted terrain, providing a bounty of exciting outdoor activities yearround. And Inspirato lets you choose between 2 spacious Snowmass residences or 3 more intimate options at the Viceroy Snowmass luxury resort. Depending on your preference, your Personal Vacation Advisor and concierge team can arrange a customized itinerary that will have you outside and active, indoors and comfortable, or somewhere in between.

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HIGHLIGHTS CONVENIENT ACCESS

Our homes are removed, but not remote, and mere minutes from Snowmass Village. Windows in every direction provide unobstructed views of nature’s artistry. Outdoor decks are favorite spots to relax in the crisp mountain air, while cozy nooks offer a secluded respite from the day’s adventures.

latest fashions. Instead, you’ll find no-frills skiing without the playgroundlike add-ons of other resorts. The mountain is also very kid-friendly, with more than 3,000 acres of green and blue runs and is home to the world-renowned Aspen Ski School Snowmass. Recent improvements include a new chairlift and gondola to help skiers reach more terrain in comfort.

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comfortable conversation with friends, Snowmass delivers. Try the Village Tavern for a laid-back après-anything experience, or local favorite Il Poggio’s for excellent Italian fare. Your Destination Concierge can call ahead and reserve an outdoor table with your own personal fire pit at Venga Venga; be sure to try their spicy orange margarita with a side of queso fundido.

SKI THE ’MASS

FOOD AND DRINK

ICE-AGE VISITOR

This more casual neighbor to Aspen doesn’t concern itself with posturing or the

From imaginative upscale cuisine to a low-key evening engaged in

If you and your family are intrigued by the idea of seeing mastodon and

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mammoth skeletons up close and personal, go to the Ice Age Discovery Center. The facility features displays, educational panels and interactive programming.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Snowmass Village Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE STAY LE SERENO HOTEL

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Boasting celebrityenticing accommodations, posh designer boutiques and upscale duty-free emporiums—not to mention miles upon miles of postcard-worthy shoreline—the très-chic island of St. Barts is a true Caribbean paradise. Add gourmet French, Creole and Caribbean fusion cuisine to its laundry list of assets and it’s easy to see why this petite volcanic isle is a perennial favorite among jetsetters.

ST. BARTS HIGHLIGHTS THE LOCATION

Your Signature Stay at overlooks the stunning Grand Cul-de-Sac and is part of the small collection of 37 suites, villas and rooms at Le Sereno, each outfitted with furnishings designed by Christian Liaigre. Terraces among the landscaped gardens lead down to the pool and beach. HOSPITALITY IN ANY LANGUAGE

The island’s elegance is unsurpassable, primarily because of the Parisian

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FRENCH WEST INDIES

influence. Islanders speak French fluently and most speak English as well. You’ll find a welcoming smile everywhere you go. THE BEACHES

The dazzling white sand beaches are perfect for relaxing, and the Le Sereno staff will help you find the best spots and services. THE SAILING

St. Barts Sailing School, located at Public Beach, offers lessons to help improve your skills, and boat charters can also be arranged for members.

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KITESURFING

Kitesurfing is one of the most popular sports on St. Barts. Former kitesurfing champion Enguerrand Espinassou gives expert lessons at the Dive Center on Grand Cul-de-Sac Beach. RESTAURANT DES PÊCHEURS

Experience some of the finest dining on St. Barts without leaving Le Sereno. Restaurant des Pêcheurs serves a casual breakfast and lunch, but we especially recommend its more upscale dinner. The saffron-based bouillabaisse

with local seafood from chef Jean-Luc Grabowski is known island-wide as a meal you have to try. THE AMENITIES

Enjoy full access to Le Sereno’s resort amenities, including a beachfront swimming pool, fitness center and personalized beachside service.

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STAYS Explore our St. Barts Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE PELICAN 4 BED / 4 BATH

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Belmond La Samanna sits on St. Martin’s finest beach, surrounded by picture-perfect Caribbean water. It’s one of only eight resorts to be profiled as “Best Resorts in the World for Wine” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Swimming pools, beach cabanas, tennis, sunset cruises and alfresco massages will relax your body and mind. This destination is also family friendly, with a dedicated team of childcare professionals and nannies on-site.

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ST. MARTIN HIGHLIGHTS MARIGOT

The French town of Marigot has a long history of sugarcane production, and many buildings still have their 19th-century facades. Today, it’s the headquarters of the sous préfecture (administration area) for both St. Martin and neighboring St. Barts. SHOPPERS’ PARADISE

St. Martin is the only 100% duty-free Caribbean island. Local boutiques carry high-end designer brands such as Cartier and Chanel,

FRENCH WEST INDIES

but it’s just as easy to find locally made clothing and artisanal jewelry. DEEP-SEA FISHING

A private boat that can host up to six passengers will take you on a fourhour deep-sea adventure beyond the reef. Not into fishing but love boating? Charter Sammy Girl, a private, Italiandesigned motorboat for a full- or half-day trip or island transfers. DINING OUT

St. Martin is known as the Cuisine Capital of the

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Caribbean, and on the French side of this island, you will find incredible French food at every turn. Trellis combines traditional French food with a jawdropping view of the ocean. At La Cave, your own tasting menu is offered by a private chef and paired with palatable French wines from its world-renowned cellar. Reservations are required at La Cigale, a family run establishment that’s home to the island’s best Sunday brunch and is a local favorite.

UNDERWATER EXCURSIONS

Several snorkeling and SCUBA diving excursions are available at the Water Sports Cabana at La Samanna. Dive into the waters of Baie Longue and beyond to discover a beautiful underwater world.

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RESIDENCES Explore our St. Martin Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VILLA POINCIANA 5 BED / 4.5 BATH

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Much of St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is protected as part of national historic parks, including Buck Island Reef National Monument and Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. The colonial architecture throughout Christiansted and Frederiksted demonstrates the former influences of Spanish, French and Danish rule, and you’ll be warmly greeted by the local Crucians, known the world over for their hospitality.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

ST. CROIX HIGHLIGHTS SCUBA

The bays around the island are home to more than 500 species of fish, 40 types of coral and hundreds of invertebrates. You’ll encounter schools of blue tang, queen triggerfish, lobster, spotted eagle rays, seahorses and more. But the more ambitious dives are at the following walls: Cane Bay Wall. This is the most popular diving site on the island and rated as one of the best in the Caribbean. It’s easily accessed by beach entry

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and has a wall that drops from 40 to 3,200 feet. Scotch Banks. This submerged peak east of Christiansted Harbor is populated by barracuda, angelfish, manta rays and the occasional whale shark. Salt River Canyon East Wall. The historic mooring was once secured by Columbus on his second voyage to the New World. In very clear water, you’ll likely see grouper, snapper, conch and crab. FARMERS MARKET

On Saturday mornings,

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behind La Reine Chicken Shack, a farmers market is set up. You’ll find tomatoes, peppers, bread, fruit, hot sauce, mauby tea, fresh jellies and even fishermen selling their catch of the day out of ice coolers. SEA TURTLES

In the spring, the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge offers night excursions to watch female leatherback turtles dig their nests and lay eggs. Seasonally, you might see hatchlings crawl to the ocean.

BOARD GAMES

The beaches of St. Croix lack crowds and are an ideal location for both kiteboarding and stand-up paddleboarding. Depending on wind conditions, Kite St. Croix offers quality lessons with certified instructors.

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RESIDENCE Explore our St. Croix Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE ALLAMANDA 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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St. John has the sugary sands you crave, aquamarine waters prime for snorkeling and warm, sunny days that hallmark the ideal beach vacation. With 60 percent of its land protected as a national park and no cruise ship docks, it’s also impossibly immaculate.

ST. JOHN HIGHLIGHTS TROPICAL HOME

Located within a private, gated enclave, Inspirato’s Signature Residences on St. John are elegant, Italian-inspired villas on a 5-acre estate nestled on a hillside overlooking Cruz Bay. Featuring gorgeous Caribbean views, these homes have airy and bright interiors. SAILING CHARTERS

The crystalline waters of the Virgin Islands are perhaps the best sailing waters in the world.

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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Our favorite day trips include Jost Van Dyke, a snorkeling area where you may spot sea turtles and the Baths, where you’ll wade in tidal pools. DINGHY DO

One of the more relaxing and casual ways to explore St. John is to rent a dinghy and cruise from beach to beach. Start your beach hopping at Cruz Bay. Although you can’t drop an anchor, you’ll find it’s easy to pull your dinghy to shore.

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DINING OUT

Across the island on Coral Bay, a burger at Skinny Legs Bar & Grill is a tradition. At Rhumb Lines, the atmosphere is casual, and the fusion of Pacific Rim and tropical cuisine is excellent. Try the Thai crab cakes and spicy diver scallops. Enjoy live music during dinner and come back for the island’s best Sunday brunch. UNDERWATER PARK

St. John may very well be the Caribbean’s premier snorkeling destination. All beaches are protected as

part of the Virgin Islands National Park. A few of our favorite spots: Maho Bay Beach, home to green sea turtles, rays and, on occasion, nurse sharks and octopi. Hawksnest Beach was named for the hawksbill sea turtles here, but the real benefit is a beautiful reef just a few yards from shore.

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RESIDENCES Explore our St. John Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE HEAVENLY DAZE 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

At your cozy mountain getaway at the ski area’s base village, you’ll enjoy views of the Yampa Valley and the mountains. See what they mean by Champagne Powder™ snow in the winter and, in summer, Colorado ranch country as you’ve always imagined it. You’re staying in the Porches of Steamboat with its own ski-in, skiout valet on the mountain and complimentary shuttle service to get you everywhere in town.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

HIGHLIGHTS MOUNTAIN ELEGANCE

The Porches residences, some of the most impeccably crafted homes ever built in Steamboat Springs, are nestled on 16 acres at the base of Mount Werner. These residences, with their expansive suites, gourmet kitchens, custom ranch stone fireplaces and generous outdoor living spaces, contribute to the overall sense of enduring quality and mountain ambiance. From the oversized sofas to the top-end billiards tables in each residence, everything

is of the finest quality and built to last for generations to come. Members have access to the Porches’ amenities building, the Barn, which offers a great room for family gatherings, an outdoor barbecue deck with a fire pit for poolside cookouts, a fitness center and a steam room. COWBOY COUNTRY

Ranching is a way of life in the Yampa Valley, and fortunately the area’s dude ranches will let you in on the lifestyle. Saddleback Ranch even hosts sleigh

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rides to Double Dollar Lodge in the winter. Don’t forget to stop by F.M. Light & Sons, the iconic Western wear shop founded in 1905 that specializes in cowboy duds. ACTION HEROES

Come winter on the slopes of Steamboat Ski Resort, you’ll have 3,000 skiable acres to explore, including the area’s famous glades and, of course, powder snow. Between the ski mountain and the area’s Nordic ski trails, is it any wonder that Steamboat has produced more Winter

Olympics athletes than any other town in the world? Steamboat Powdercats will transport you to the untouched slopes off Buffalo Pass, where you can indulge your taste for powder skiing to your heart’s content. For a little more zip to your day, try a snowmobile tour on the Continental Divide through the backcountry.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Steamboat Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destination

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE STERLING 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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Beneath Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield, scenic hillsides drape this enchanting New England village. Stowe Mountain Lodge sits at its base with a network of trails to explore by snowshoe in the winter or hiking boots in the summer and fall.

HIGHLIGHTS STOWE MOUNTAIN

Inspirato Members have access to the Stowe Mountain Club at the ski area and its 485 acres and

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STOWE vertical drop of 2,160 feet. Off the mountain, take the family for a traditional sleigh ride or hold tight on a dogsled tour through the woods. During the summer, golf clubs replace ski poles as players tackle the 36 holes that meander along the slopes of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, climbing to an elevation of 1,800 feet and offering unparalleled views of the New England countryside. Kids can race down the alpine slide and stay occupied for hours at the resort’s Summer Mountain Adventure Camp.

VERMONT

ALPINE CONCIERGE®

TASTE OF VERMONT

During the winter, members enjoy ski valet service, which allows guests to ship their equipment in advance and have it tuned and ready for the day’s snow conditions. Boots are heated and delivered to the gondola with guests’ lift tickets. Come summer, golf concierges will arrange tee times, carts and any additional equipment needs. Anglers can utilize the fly-fishing service, in which fishing licenses, Orvis-certified guides and transportation logistics are arranged in advance.

A Taste of Vermont excursion takes you to the home of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream as well as the headquarters of Green Mountain Coffee. Taste the state’s famous Cabot cheese, locally pressed apple cider and Lake Champlain Chocolates. The optional Vermont wine tasting—yes, they make wine up here—is worth it.

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LOCAL FARE

Fresh produce is all but guaranteed in Stowe’s best restaurants. Hit the deck for tacos with a side of orange chipotle at Frida’s Taqueria + Grill. Locals love the friendly

vibe and open-kitchen pie spinning at Piecasso. For fancier fare, Solstice Restaurant at Stowe Mountain Lodge prepares tempting seasonal favorites. YOU WILL GO

To the Trapp Family Lodge, home of the Von Trapp family made famous in The Sound of Music.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Stowe Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE APEX 5 BED / 3.5 BATH

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SQUAW VALLEY

Squaw Valley is a vibrant, multiseason vacation paradise. Visitors relish the romance of early evening alpenglow and the buzz of extreme skiing and riding. With Inspirato, Squaw Valley is elevated to an undeniably extraordinary destination with personalized service among the peaks of the Sierra Nevadas.

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HIGHLIGHTS

L A K E TA H O E , C A L I F O R N I A

mountain resorts within an hour’s drive.

PASSPORT TO FUN

Squaw Valley is one of the reigning champions of American ski resorts, having been named the Best Ski Resort in North America by Outside magazine in 2012 and Top Ten in the U.S. by Forbes in 2013. It’s a legend that has stayed at the top of its game, dating back to before the Winter Olympics, which were held here in 1960. If, for some unimaginable reason, you exhaust Squaw’s terrain, you can try out one of the 10 other

PRIVATE LUXURY

Apex features an expansive wraparound deck to watch the epic Tahoe sunset burn in coral hues for a breathtaking instant. Inside, the timber lodge ceiling of your great room soars to beautiful heights, and the full kitchen is truly a chef’s delight.

time to undergo revitalizing sessions. Booking a treatment here grants you access to the pool and fitness center. LADY LUCK

Travel to South Shore over the state border into Nevada and you will find opulent casinos like Harrah’s and MontBleu. Don’t want to test your luck? Shows are available most nights.

SKI HARD, SPA HARDER

The Resort at Squaw Creek offers private treatments to punctuate any kind of vacation. Reserve some

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FUN IN THE SUN

The mountain resorts of Tahoe don’t shut down for the summer; once all the

snow melts, Squaw Valley delivers a steady surge of monthly outdoor festivals and events. From the Fine Arts & Crafts Festival in late June to the Annual Alpen Wine Fest in early September, Inspirato Members will never be at a loss for fun.

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RESIDENCE Explore our Squaw Valley Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destinations

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SIGNATURE RESIDENCE GOLD HILL 5 BED / 5 BATH

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Set amongst the soaring peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride is an eclectic Western town, a charming combination of raucous Old West roots and world-class mountain luxury—all delivered with a local flair that makes it a unique and welcoming destination.

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TELLURIDE HIGHLIGHTS CONVENIENT ACCESS

Inspirato’s Gold Hill home is conveniently located on the Telluride Golf Course in Mountain Village with access to the area’s famously efficient gondola system. At Wilson Ridge, ask your Destination Concierge to stock the wine cellar before you arrive. At Evergreen, the sprawling master suite occupies the top floor. And at Vermilion, you’ll have access to a slopeside ski valet. These are just a few of the highlights available.

WINTER THRILLS

Come explore Telluride Ski Resort’s 2,000-plus skiable acres, including the wideopen playground known as Revelation Bowl. But downhill isn’t the only way to go: nearby snow-covered mountains offer hut-to-hut ski tours, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and the chance to bundle up for a tear through the woods behind a team of sled dogs.

COLORADO hills. The town also plays host to almost weekly world-class events and festivals throughout the summer, including the life-list-worthy Telluride Bluegrass Festival. FESTIVALS

SUMMER FUN

Famous for its steep skiing in the winter, in the summer months Telluride is a hotbed of music, art, food and film festivals with something happening every weekend.

When the snow recedes to reveal untold stretches of grand hiking and biking terrain, locals take to the

Built by miners in 1913 for vaudeville performances,

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PERFORMING ARTS

the Sheridan Opera House is the centerpiece of the renowned Sheridan Arts Foundation. From music and dance to comedy and drama, the foundation fosters a stimulating variety of performing arts throughout the year.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Telluride Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE FRENCHMAN’S LOOKOUT 5 BED / 5 BATH

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For devotees of sailing, power boating, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing, the 60 or so islands and cays that constitute the British Virgin Islands are a peerless destination. The largest and most popular of the islands, Tortola offers a bounty of marinas and charter operations that cater to every seaborne aspiration, as well as restaurants and world-famous beach bars, all just minutes away from your spectacular residence.

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TORTOLA HIGHLIGHTS OUTDOOR LIVING

With countless doors and only one window, all rooms at Frenchman’s Lookout lead to a wraparound deck with stunning ocean views. Frenchman’s Paradise overlooks West End Marina and also features spectacular Caribbean views. It’s a short distance to Soper’s Hole restaurants and shops, as well as some of the island’s best unspoiled beaches. TAKE TO THE SEA

From half-day boating

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

excursions and skiff rentals to staffed and provisioned full-day and multiday charters aboard an array of yachts and power cats, there’s a wide variety of options for exploring the waters around Tortola.

and fresh nutmeg—at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke. Charter a half- or full-day sailing excursion to the nearby island to try the original, or mix one up right at your residence.

NIGHTLIFE

For one of the most memorable dining experiences in the islands, visit Brandywine Bay on Tortola, a spectacular Italian venue set amid gardens overlooking the sea.

BRANDYWINE BAY

The British Virgin Islands are teeming with beach bars, many of which feature live music on most nights. FEEL NO PAIN

Sip an authentic Painkiller cocktail—a delicious blend of local rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut cream

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MUST-SEE SPOT

The Baths—an iconic, naturally occurring

formation of boulders near Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda—are one of the top attractions in the BVIs. Hike through a series of rock caves leading out to the sea, then swim or snorkel back to the beach. The Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda is another great destination and offers a wide variety of water sports and sailing instruction for all skill levels.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Tortola Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE STAY CANYON RANCH, TUCSON

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Retreat to an oasis in the Arizona desert where the iconic saguaro cactus meets the pine forest of the mountains under an unbelievably clear blue sky. Canyon Ranch, Tucson is the original game-changing, full body and mind wellness resort. It still sets the bar for innovative classes, treatments and pathways to a healthier, fuller life.

TUCSON HIGHLIGHTS AUTHENTIC ARIZONA

Set on 150 acres in the Sonoran Desert, Canyon Ranch was a guest ranch until the 1970s. Immerse yourself more deeply into the area with day trips to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Kartchner Caverns State Park or Kitt Peak National Observatory, home to the world’s largest collection of telescopes. MASSAGE CENTRAL

People come from all over the world for a sampling of Canyon Ranch’s wide

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ARIZONA

variety of massages. Try innovative watsu massage in which guests float in a pool of warm water while a therapist softens your muscles or stick with their famous Canyon Stone Massage that uses heated basalt stones as extensions of the therapist’s hands.

training program built specifically to shore up your weaknesses and keep you in the game. The goal? Help you find your natural golf swing. Then you can take your new skills and try it out on the course at nearby Ventana Canyon.

TOTAL GOLF

With help from the spa’s nutritionists and chefs, learn how food affects your mental and physical wellbeing and where to find the nutrients and energy to fuel your best life.

There’s golf instruction and then there’s Canyon Ranch’s approach. A PGA pro helps dial in your game on the course in conjunction with a golf-centric fitness

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HEALTHY FOOD, HEALTHY BODY

Take to the trails leading out from the ranch to explore the Sonoran Desert through a geocaching treasure hunt, a nature hike, a photo safari or a late-night trek into Sabino Canyon using nightvision goggles to spot the nocturnal wildlife.

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STAYS Explore our Canyon Ranch, Tucson Signature Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

NATURAL WONDER

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CAYA HICO 4 BED / 4.5 BATH

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TURKS & CAICOS

Located in the British West Indies, Turks & Caicos is a group of serene islands prized by beach and water lovers around the world. These gorgeous, low-key islands are ideal for a relaxing family vacation or a romantic getaway. With easy daily flights, many members find that they can leave their homes in the morning and have lunch on the beach.

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HIGHLIGHTS ISLAND OASIS

Choose from a variety of residences on Turks & Caicos, each with unique decor. The Somerset on Grace Bay offers first-class service and top-notch amenities, including ensuite spa service; or take a dip in the pool or the reversecurrent lap pool, complete with an underwater sound system. At Caya Hico, the ocean breeze blows through this open-air residence with access to the secluded, 1.5-mile-long Babalua Beach.

BRITISH WEST INDIES

TOP BEACH

WILE AWAY THE DAY

DECADENT DINING

With its turquoise waters and pearl-white sands, Grace Bay Beach is routinely voted one of the best in the world. When you stay at The Somerset, you’re just steps away from this stunning stretch of shoreline.

With water sports, a reading library and a regulation croquet lawn, there is constant fun for both the young and young at heart.

Take pleasure in the eclectic dining options. Indulge in a private chef for a meal on the terrace that you won’t soon forget.

ACTIVITIES ABOUND

Balance your beach time with snorkeling, water skiing, kayaking, horseback riding, cave exploring, windsurfing, parasailing and more. With so much—or so little—to do, a vacation in Turks & Caicos will soothe and refresh.

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EXCELLENT FISHING

Anglers of every experience level can enjoy bonefishing or deep-sea fishing. Bonefish are small, fast fish that swim around the low waters of Grace Bay. To catch them, you wade at the water’s edge or cast a line from an offshore boat. Head into open water and try to land the big one during a deepsea fishing excursion.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Turks & Caicos Signature Residences and Signature Stays at inspirato. com/destinations

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE IL PRATO 9 BED / 9.5 BATH

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Tuscany was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, but the works of art that have fascinated generations are only part of its allure. You’ll find your eyes following the landscape of rolling green hills, dotted by olive groves and the grapes and trellises of carefully manicured vineyards. You can taste family recipes in the region’s trattorie and glimpse back to the 11th century in the venerable stone towers of San Gimignano.

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TUSCANY HIGHLIGHTS THE CHIANTI REGION

In 1716, former Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici decreed that four area villages would be the only officially recognized producers of Chianti wine. One of these villages, Greve, is the site of a restored stone farmhouse that is now Il Bronzino. These Inspirato Signature Residences can be combined as a ninebedroom villa or enjoyed separately. Il Bronzino is located between Florence and Siena.

THE VILLAS

All of Inspirato’s spacious residences are situated amid impeccably manicured gardens and feature incredible views of the area’s rolling green hills, surrounding vineyards and olive groves. YOUR OWN WINE GUIDE

Your Destination Concierge is happy to arrange for an expert sommelier to guide you through the region’s outstanding Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Montefalco Rosso and Super Tuscan

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I TA LY wines. Your Destination Concierge can also arrange for a private chef.

fashion. Instead, walk the pedestrian streets Via di Cittá, Banchi di Sopra and Via Dei Montanini in Siena.

SAN GIMIGNANO

The charming hill town of San Gimignano features stone architecture that dates back to the 11th century. Though you can see its 14 towers from miles away, there’s nothing like a stroll on the town’s ancient stone streets to really feel like you’ve stepped back in history.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Tuscany Signature Residences at inspirato.com/destinations

SHOPPING IN SIENA

You don’t have to go to Florence for high

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE BLUE SKY 3 BED / 3.5 BATH

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Boasting hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, fields of alpine wildflowers, posh residences and an array of world-class amenities just steps from the lifts, Vail Mountain is a magnet for discerning jetsetters. Vail Village is reminiscent of an elegant alpine resort, teeming with upscale boutiques, Michelinstar-rated restaurants and laid-back bars serving up hot toddies and warm company.

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VAIL HIGHLIGHTS CONVENIENCE

Our Eagle’s Nest, Yonder, Grand View and Blue Sky private homes offer convenient access to Vail Village with complimentary parking spots in the heart of the Village. SOLARIS

Twenty-three of Inspirato’s Signature Residences in Vail are in the centrally located Solaris complex, just steps from the lifts. Ranging from three to six bedrooms, each

COLORADO

residence offers views of the surrounding peaks, access to the indoor pool and hot tub, and priority reservations at Matsuhisa Vail, one of the most popular restaurants in the Vail Valley. FRESH TRACKS

When the snow piles up, Vail Mountain is known as one of the largest— and arguably the most popular—ski mountains in the United States. Vail Mountain offers nearly 200 trails for serious skiers and riders of every ability to explore.

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WARM-WEATHER ACTIVITIES

A quick drive down the valley means warmer temperatures and expanded recreational opportunities. Saddle up for a trail ride with a local dude ranch, take a half-day Jeep tour through alpine forests, tee off for a game of golf, cast a line into a blue-ribbon trout stream—when the weather warms, the opportunities are nearly endless.

cuisine, Vail’s only movie theater and a stylish bowling alley are all within steps from each other, not to mention a bounty of excellent bars and restaurants to discover.

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RESIDENCES Explore our Vail Signature Residences at inspirato.com/ destinations

NIGHTLIFE

Just outside our Solaris residences, Nobu Matsuhisa’s gourmet

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE STAY VILLA AQUAMARE 5 BED / 5.5 BATH

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VIRGIN GORDA

Welcome to virgin territory, a place where Laurance Rockefeller dreamed of a “wilderness beach,” where privacy ruled among endless beauty. Once a desolate island, Virgin Gorda was transformed into a must-see destination for discerning travelers when Rockefeller opened his resort at Little Dix Bay in 1964. Since then the sleepy island has kept its peaceful, captivating soul.

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HIGHLIGHTS THE BATHS

The signature natural wonder of the British Virgin Islands, the Baths are an unusual collection of giant boulders along the beach, which form caves and grottoes that house tranquil pools of ocean water, an ideal spot for swimming and snorkeling. Go early by car or boat to beat the crowds. SEA LIFE

The tropical waters just offshore from Inspirato’s residence, Villa Aquamare

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

on Mahoe Bay, host two spectacular reefs that start 15 feet from the beach and are home to turtles, parrotfish and hundreds of other species. Explore it by kayak or bask in the sun in the secluded cove nearby, Savannah Bay, a spot many local sailors consider one of the most beautiful beaches in the British or U.S. Virgin Islands. DOLPHINS

Dolphin Discovery inside Prospect Reef Port in Tortola brings you up close with the sea’s most magical creature. Pick one

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of the interactive programs and dive in to say hello to your new friends. AYE, CAPTAIN

Charter a sailboat for the day and set a course for your own island-hopping adventure, stopping in remote coves and secluded beaches where it’s just you and the Caribbean. From catamarans to power boats to sailboats, a wide variety of vessels can be yours for a sunset cruise, a day of island hopping or an overnight in your very own bay. You don’t need a boat

to explore the water, however, as jet skis and personal watercrafts are available for hire out of Leverick Bay Marina, a short 15-minute drive from your residence.

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Explore our Virgin Gorda Signature Stay at inspirato. com/destinations

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015


S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE HOKU 3 BED / 2 BATH

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You can truly have it your way on Maui. From exploring a lush rainforest and trekking to the top of a towering volcano to catching a wave or just digging your toes into the sand, the island is home to larger-than-life adventures and singular beauty. Your residences at Fairmont Kea Lani and Andaz put it all within easy reach.

WAILEA HIGHLIGHTS DON’T MISS

Looking for adventure? Hike above the cloud line on Haleakalā, Maui’s highest volcanic peak, or grab a surfboard and hit the waves. For more leisurely activities, Maui boasts 14 golf courses, several of which are considered among the world’s best. The unspoiled town of Hana is also worth a visit. THE RESORT LIFE

Home to four Signature Residences, the Fairmont

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M AUI, H AWA II

Kea Lani offers three pools, beach activities, a spa and great restaurants—all without leaving the resort. Your generously sized and luxuriously appointed villa features a private lanai with plunge pool, deep soaking tubs and walk-in showers as well as access to the Spa Kea Lani, three resort pools, two whirlpools, complimentary transport to Wailea Golf Club and access to the Keiki Lani children’s program. You could leave the resort, but why would you want to?

GREEN LIVING

The Andaz Residences Maui at Wailea Resort offer luxury hotel amenities to go with Inspirato’s two oceanfront, LEED-certified villas, each with its own private lanai. BEST NEARBY BEACH

Polo Beach is just steps from your residence at the Fairmont Kea Lani, and its wide, sandy shores are perfect for boogie boarding. There are plenty of umbrellas, too. BEACH STROLL

The 3-mile Wailea Coastal

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Walk takes about an hour to complete round-trip, but you’ll want to linger at one of five white sand beaches with swaying palm trees. A MEAL TO REMEMBER

There’s only one reason we would recommend a 45-minute drive to dinner: Hali’imaile General Store. It’s worth the trip.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Maui Signature Residences and Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE CHÂTEAU MONDEAU 5 BED / 6 BATH

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WHISTLER

With nearby peaks and the Garibaldi Provincial Park, there will never be a lack of things to do when touring one of North America’s premier mountain destinations. Inspirato will ensure the finest alpine vacation you can find in British Columbia, providing you with first-class access to Whistler-Blackcomb’s year-round resort activities and the greatest experience in mountain living.

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HIGHLIGHTS CHÂTEAU MONDEAU

An impressive mountain road leads to Château Mondeau, a magnificent stone chalet standing among pine trees and pure serenity. The luxuriously appointed residence is a modern take on a majestic castle, with soaring ceilings and English colonial hardware, all surrounded by amazing valley views and easy access to Whistler’s world-class ski runs and hiking and biking trails.

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA PEAK EXPERIENCE

The twin peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains house a renowned mountain bike park in the summer. In the winter, they form the largest ski area in North America. Whistler also features a quaint Europeanstyle village, world-class dining and a hot nightlife scene unique to North American ski resorts. HELI-SKIING

After a few days of hitting the pair of mountains in town, it’s time to get a little more daring. Let your Destination Concierge book a helicopter

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tour through Whistler HeliSkiing and you’ll enjoy guided access to 432,000 acres of incredible backcountry terrain.

and rainforests. Those who want to walk instead of fly can try the canopy walk.

VALLEY TRAIL

Dusty’s, Whistler’s oldest hot spot, is also its best for an après-activity nosh. Dusty’s has been in business since 1965 and its interior is designed like a classic Western ski lodge. The sunny patio is a local favorite.

DINING

The Whistler Valley Trail connects in several places in the village and each way forks in different directions, so you can pick multiple routes on this scenic paved path that’s very popular for running, biking and rollerblading after the snow melts. NATURE TOUR

Open summer and winter, Ziptrek Ecotours is a peak-topeak zip line tour over creeks

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RESIDENCE Explore our Whistler Signature Residence at inspirato.com/destinations

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S I G N AT U R E R E S I D E N C E S & S I G N AT U R E S TAY S

SIGNATURE RESIDENCE VILLA DELLA LUNA 4 BED / 3.5 BATH

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WINE COUNTRY

You needn’t travel all the way to Bordeaux or Tuscany to enjoy a worldclass wine destination. The hills and valleys of Sonoma and Napa, with their countless vineyards and tasting tours, make an ideal stateside getaway. The fun doesn’t stop when the bottle runs dry; outdoor activities like tennis, canoeing, golf and biking keep the action going.

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HIGHLIGHTS

SONOMA, CALIFORNIA

wines you gather during your daily excursions.

SIGNATURE RESIDENCES

Pick your version of Wine Country bliss, from sprawling hilltop estates surrounded by vineyards to intimate two-bedroom suites in town within walking distance to shops and restaurants. THE GOURMET KITCHEN

Several residences contain gourmet, professional-grade kitchens. To enhance your Wine Country experience, arrange for a private chef to prepare an unforgettable meal expertly paired with the

THE WINERIES

Visit some preferred vintners, including Cakebread Cellars, FerrariCarano Winery, Jackson Family Wines, Lancaster Estate, Terra Valentine and many more. We can also help you discover smaller, family run wineries that speak to the heart of California’s original winemaking culture.

Kitchen, even on short notice. A variety of private winery tours and in-home tastings arranged by your Destination Concierge are available. A GOURMAND’S DREAM

The list of amazing wines goes on and on; some of our favorite wineries include Medlock Ames, Matanzas Creek and MichelSchlumberger but your Destination Concierge can direct you to dozens more.

INSIDE TRACK

Our members can enjoy priority reservations at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek

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HIKE IT OFF

The hiking trails in this area offer a charming preview

of Wine Country’s quaint ecosystem, juxtaposed to the expansive Mayacama Mountain Range. Enjoy trickling brooks and high vistas with scenic overlooks of the valley below. Get a glimpse of Mount Saint Helena as well as the coastal range far beyond the rolling hills of the valley.

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RESIDENCES/STAYS Explore our Wine Country Signature Residences and Stays at inspirato.com/destinations

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Frederic Delivert Winemaker

Barry Waitte Vintner & Proprietor

Thomas Brown Consulting Winemaker

Meticulously Hand-Crafted Wines 1251 Tubbs Lane Calistoga, CA 94515 | 707.942.2100 | www.tamberbey.com


INSPIRATO

SIGNATURE COLLECTION S I G N AT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S

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Antarctica Expedition Palettes of the Baltic Sea The Masters Kentucky Derby

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

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ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION

Journey to the Earth’s southernmost continent, where the grandeur of white mountain ranges will leave you speechless. With few visitors each year, the region’s wildlife has no fear. Watch in awe from your Zodiac landing craft as whales breach the icy waters, seals roll through the water nearby, and penguins swim and frolic on and around the ice floes. HIGHLIGHTS

THE EXPERIENCE

Limited to Inspirato Members, your 10-night Antarctic adventure will deviate from the standard itinerary with a route designed to maximize your time in Antarctica with no stops between the tip of South America and Antarctica. Doing so allows members to get the most of their time with the naturalists, wildlife experts, historians and guides aboard the National Geographic Orion as they travel to Paulet Island, Lindblad Cove, Paradise Bay, Lemaire Channel and Port Lockroy. SPECIAL GUEST

National Geographic photographer Flip Nicklin will be joining the trip to help members capture the unique landscape and sea life. As one of the world’s leading whale photographers, his

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shots and audio tracks of humpbacks and killer whales have appeared in numerous National Geographic publications and television specials. In 2012, the North American Nature Photography Association named him Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year. THE SHIP

Upon arrival at Ushuaia, at the tip of Patagonia, you’ll board the National Geographic Orion, a purpose-built expedition ship with a strengthened hull that’s rated just short of icebreaker classification. The 53-cabin ship can comfortably accommodate 102 guests. A quiver of Zodiac launches ensures that everyone can leave to explore the quieter bays and ice floes near shore. And on those quests, Inspirato Members have access to an arsenal of underwater cameras

and video equipment, a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), a hydrophone and other equipment, along with instruction on how to best capture the sights and sounds of this ice-strewn, watery world. Meals are prepared by Sydney’s award-winning chef, Serge Dansereau, and his focus is on sustainably caught fish. There’s a fitness center to keep you in shape, LEXspa wellness retreat and an on-board physician, plus a videographer to capture the highlights of your trip. LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS

Inspirato tapped the unparalleled expertise of Lindblad Expeditions to match the level of Signature Service expected by Inspirato Members. Started by the “father of ecotourism,” Lars-Eric Lindblad, more than 50 years ago, the company was the first travel service to take guests to Antarctica.

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Beyond their expertise in navigating the area and documenting its history, Lindblad’s certified photo instructors and undersea specialists help ensure that members leave with few if any desires unmet.

you’ll travel through is rife with leopard seals, crabeater seals, killer whales and sperm whales. Be prepared to see penguins by the thousands, especially Gentoo, Adelie and Chinstraps.

WHAT TO EXPECT

TRAVEL TO ANTARCTICA

You’ll hike over snow, ice and rock, terrain where few have ever trod, if at all. Zodiac excursions are the best way to reach the wildlife. Travel in groups of 12 to 14 to reach shorelines teeming with them. Want to go your own way? The ship’s sturdy and safe, two-person kayaks will let you quietly explore this empty corner of the world in silence. Throughout the trip, expedition leaders and naturalists will provide a comprehensive and in-depth look at the continent of ice and its inhabitants. While no wildlife viewing is guaranteed, the region

Inspirato Members will enjoy a night’s stopover in Buenos Aires at a luxury hotel prior to departing for Ushuaia, Argentina, and the ship. In Ushuaia, members can get to know each other over lunch on a catamaran cruise to the Beagle Channel. DATES JANUARY 16–27, 2016 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INSPIRATO’S ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION, PLEASE GO TO INSPIRATO.COM/ EXPERIENCES.

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

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PALETTES OF THE BALTIC SEA

From the stately palaces of Stockholm to the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, this members-only voyage is an opportunity to behold Northern Europe’s immense beauty and historic wealth, creating a treasure trove of memories. You will visit the royal capitals of Northern Europe to discover glorious palaces and onion-domed cathedrals. HIGHLIGHTS

THE INSPIRATO EXPERIENCE

Between ports, you will voyage on ancient channels once dominated by the trade empire during the Middle Ages. With nearly 17 hours of daylight and a landscape that delights at every turn, this cruise will be unforgettable. THE SILVER WHISPER

Travelers will board the Silver Whisper, an elegant ship from Silversea, recognized by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as the world’s Best Small Ship Cruise Line. Our all-inclusive

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rate includes all onboard meals, 24-hour suite service, an open bar and onboard entertainment. An onboard spa offers a variety of services at additional charges or you can enjoy the casino. Shore excursions are also available at an additional cost. Complimentary butler service will deliver a morning paper and replenish your chilled champagne. You will enjoy gourmet dining in a number of extraordinary restaurants with your spirits of choice included gratis. With this Signature Experience, you can discover a Europe as richly varied as your interests.

ITINER A RY STOCKHOLM

The city boasts a glorious, medieval Old Town, grand palaces, ancient churches, sturdy edifices, public parks and 19th-century museums. HELSINKI

Helsinki is a meeting point of Eastern and Western Europe, a fact reflected in its cosmopolitan image, its influx of Russians and Estonians, and its generally multilingual population. ST. PETERSBURG

St. Petersburg is a planned city built on more than

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100 islands in the Neva Delta, linked by canals and arched bridges. It was first called the “Venice of the North” by Goethe. Little wonder it’s the darling of today’s fashion photographers. TALLINN, ESTONIA

Tallinn’s tiny gem of an Old Town has romantic towers, cobblestone streets, small nooks, citywall cafes—in many ways it looks the same as it did during the medieval era.

COPENHAGEN

The early morning air in the pedestrian streets of the city’s core, Strøget, is redolent of freshly baked bread and soap-scrubbed storefronts. This cozy city is filled with museums, restaurants, cafes and lively nightlife. DATES JULY 20-27, 2015 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INSPIRATO’S PALETTES OF THE BALTIC SEA, PLEASE GO TO INSPIRATO. COM/EXPERIENCES.

VISBY, SWEDEN

With its magnificent walled town of Visby, the Island of Gotland is one of Sweden’s most popular summer destinations.

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

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THE MASTERS

We invite you to join us for an unforgettable experience at the 2015 Masters. No other golf tournament has the allure of being played at the same course year in and year out since 1935. Augusta National’s contours, especially on the greens, are unrivaled. The back nine induces drama and nail-biting excitement, and the Masters is the only major that employs sudden death in order to determine a winner in the event of a tie. HIGHLIGHTS

THE INSPIRATO EXPERIENCE

You’ll take comfort knowing our team will manage every detail of the experience. This is our third year of hosting members at the Masters, and our dedicated on-site staff has the experience necessary to navigate busy events in order to optimize your time. This includes insider access to parties, highly sought-after tee times and exclusive events throughout the week. To further improve your vacation to Augusta, we’re also taking over two historic bed-and-

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breakfasts and outfitting them in Inspirato’s signature fine Italian linens, bedding and amenities to meet our highest standards. After an iconic day on the links watching the pros, we’ll drive you home to relax in your private room with a glass of wine or on to your next VIP event. All transportation to and from Augusta National is included in your package. Southern-style food, wine and other beverages are also included as outlined in the itinerary.

ITINER A RY PRACTICE ROUNDS

Enjoy Augusta National in its most pristine condition with relaxed golfers and fewer people on the course. This intimate experience allows you to bring a camera (but not your phone) with you between Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday evening, join an exclusive dinner hosted by Inspirato.

prestigious PGA Tour event have competed against past tournament winners. It’s a family affair, and each year the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of players are outfitted in miniature versions of the white caddie jumpsuits worn during the tournament. You’ll also catch Thursday’s opening-round action of the Masters tournament and end the day at an Inspirato dinner.

PAR 3 & FIRST ROUND

THE MAIN EVENT

The Par 3 Tournament is one of the most recognized and longstanding traditions at the Masters. Since 1960, participants in the

Inspirato puts you in the heart of golf’s greatest weekend, the final two rounds culminating in the presentation of the famed green jacket to the

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tournament winner on Sunday evening. On Saturday night, you’ll join fellow Inspirato Members and their guests at an exclusive dinner party. DATES APRIL 6-13, 2015 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INSPIRATO’S MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT PACKAGES, PLEASE GO TO INSPIRATO.COM/ EXPERIENCES.

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

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K ENTUCKY DERBY THE RUN

FOR THE ROSES

If you want to experience the rich tradition and unmistakable Southern style of the Kentucky Derby, this Signature Experience invites you to watch the big race from the best seats in the venue within Millionaires Row. To make your trip even more memorable, we’ve created a private multiday experience for race weekend featuring special members-only touches and some of the finest accommodations available in Louisville. HIGHLIGHTS

private transportation Depending upon the DATES between your hotel and package you purchase, APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2015 MILLIONAIRES ROW FOR MORE INFORMATION the racetrack, as well as you can tour the Paddock This section of Churchill OAKS DAY ON INSPIRATO’S securing those hard-towith a representative from DERBY 2015 On Friday, May 1, in KENTUCKY DERBY Downs is the KENTUCKY event’s get dinner reservations Churchill Downs and take SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE, honor of the Oaks’ official ultimate place to mingle, or accessing last-minute a photograph with the If you want to experience the rich tradition and unmistakable Southern style of the Kentucky PLEASE Derby,GO this Inspirato TO INSPIRATO. flower, the stargazer lily, network and enjoy the party tickets. Inspirato race’s winning jockey. Signature Experience® invites you to watch the big race from the best seats in the venue within Millionaires Row. COM/EXPERIENCES. both Southern belles action at Kentucky Oaks will be available to you Later that night (for and gentlemen converge and the Kentucky Derby. 24/7 during your time in an additional cost), you NEW THIS YEAR – To make your trip even more memorable, we've created a private multi-day experience for race in a sea of pink attire Decked in your Derby Louisville. can attend the famed weekend featuring special members-only touches during Kentucky Oaks Day andGala. some of the finest accommodations to witness the Race for finest, join other corporate Barnstable Brown available in Louisville. the Lilies. The Kentucky leaders and celebrities Last year’s performers ITINER A RY Oaks partner charities to celebrate one of the included Miranda Lambert are Susan G. Komen for greatest events in sports and My Morning Jacket. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE,DAY CALL TO RESERVE YOUR PACKAGE TODAY! 1 the Cure® and Horses and from the most soughtWWW.INSPIRATO.COM/KENTUCKYDERBY Check-in to the Seelbach DAY 3 Hope. Attendees| wear after spot in the world over 855.481.5405 View the annual Run for Hilton and enjoy a private, pink to honor the fight Derby weekend. the Roses with access to Inspirato welcome against breast cancer. Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires areception non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions DERBY HATS tellers Membership and self-service that evening. and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. Famous hat designer MEMBERS-ONLY wagering machines, a inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303The Inspirato team will DAY 2 Kokin will create a custom buffet lunch and multiple 586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration Enjoy the Oaks Day at be on-site to ensure Derby hat for the ladies, televisions to view all the No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. Churchill Downs, known your experience is revealed at the private action. products and services flawless, offered and rendered by Inspirato®as (including thefor operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, the Race the Lilies. providing InspiratoAll welcome or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

reception before Derby weekend.

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YOUR VIP LUXURY RIDE. Leaving home doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. Avis and INSPIRATO have joined together to bring INSPIRATO members exclusive benefits and rewards that will help you travel in cushy comfort all for less than you think. Status in Avis invite-only President's Club Savings up to 25% • Automatic double car class upgrade when available • •

For details visit inspirato.com/partners

©2014 Aviscar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions apply. Visit avis.com/inspirato for details. ®Avis is a registered trademark licensed to Aviscar, Inc. for use in Canada.


IN THE MOMENT

STARRING ROLE The rolling hills of Tuscany are home to medieval villages, sprawling villas and a down-to-earth lifestyle that is the envy of the world. Immerse yourself in its landscape with the help of one of Inspirato’s Signature Residences and you can’t help but feel as though you’ve stepped into a movie, starring you and your fellow travelers. Seek out and enjoy a saturation of the senses and tap into la dolce vita. How the movie ends is up to you.

POST A PHOTO TO WIN You could win a limited-edition copy of INSPIRATO: INSPIRED MOMENTS, LASTING MEMORIES, a hardbound coffee-table book featuring hundreds of Inspirato’s most breathtaking vacation photographs from around the world. To enter, simply post your own travel photo from a visit you took to a destination worthy of a movie on Instagram tagging Inspirato and using the hashtag #InspiratoMoment. Be sure to tell us where and when you visited!

*Contest subject in all respects to complete Official Rules available at inspirato.com/instagramcontest. Contest ends at 5:01 pm MT on April 30, 2015.

INSPIRATO MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015

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LEGENDS OF THE GAME GO HEAD-TO-HEAD

2015 MASTERS This is your opportunity to see the PGA's best golfers go head-to-head on one of the most challenging courses in the world. And, while golf is obviously the star of the show, you'll find that Inspirato's curated inclusions are a close second, with a dedicated on-site staff to host events and maximize the experience. NEW THIS YEAR – Inspirato has secured two historic bed & breakfasts exclusively for members and we’ve created three distinct packages around the week-long event. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE, CALL TO RESERVE YOUR PACKAGE TODAY! 855.481.5405 | WWW.INSPIRATO.COM/THEMASTERS Inspirato® is a private travel membership club that requires a non-refundable Initiation Fee and Annual Membership Fee. Membership is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions and other reservation and use rules. Availability, benefits, minimum stay requirements and nightly fees may vary by residence, date and membership option selected. See website (www. inspirato.com) for complete details. Inspirato is owned by Inspirato LLC and operated by its subsidiary Best of 52, LLC, 1637 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202, info@inspirato.com, 303586-7771. Operator is registered as Florida Seller of Travel Registration No. ST38403; Washington Seller of Travel Registration No. UBI 603086598; California Seller of Travel Registration No. CST 2107465. ©2015 Inspirato LLC. All products and services offered and rendered by Inspirato® (including the operation and management of any vacation residence) are provided solely by Inspirato LLC, Best of 52, LLC, or their respective agents and affiliates, and not by the American Express Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.


Marine Diver Self-winding movement. Water-resistant to 300m. 18 ct rose gold case. Also available in stainless steel. U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M

F O R A C ATA L O G , C A L L 5 6 1 - 9 8 8 - 8 6 0 0 O R E M A I L : U S A 1 0 9 @ U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M


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