The most complete GUIDE to the INSIDE
The Insider’s Club February 2017
Hot Spot of the Month
Napa and Sonoma Valley
Choose Your News Explore: Napa and Sonoma Valley 4-5 What To Do While You Are There 6-9 Where To Stay 10-13 Exclusive Virtuoso World Travel Experiences 14-25 Tech News: Travel Technology 27-28
A WORD FROM YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR
Dear Fellow Travelers & Adventurers, In this month’s newsletter we are featuring Napa and Sonoma Valley as well as our monthly tech news, travel tips, things and places to see in our hot spot, and exclusive travel deals from around the world. As always we welcome any suggestions you may have for this newsletter. Please let us know if there is a specific location, hotel, restaurant, excursion, etc. you would like us to feature. Thank you for your business and the opportunity to collaborate on your travel dreams. I look forward to arranging your next great adventure.
-Tina
Explore: Napa and Sonoma Valley
Explore: Napa and Sonoma Valley Written by Damien Martin Travelling through the rolling hills of Napa and Sonoma valleys, past the rows upon rows of grapevines in the idyllic Mediterranean climate, you might catch yourself thinking you’ve been spirited away to Tuscany. Until you see the NASCAR track, that is. Then you remember you didn’t have to pack your passport or phrasebook, because you’re right here in the U.S.A. enjoying the bounty of one of the world’s top wine regions. Since the famous — infamous if you’re French — “Judgment of Paris” in 1976, when vintages from Napa’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Montelena bested established French labels in a blind taste test, the valleys less than 90 minutes north of San Francisco have soared in stature. Between them, Napa and Sonoma offer hundreds of wineries to choose from, with wide varieties of reds and whites, plus notable sparkling wines produced at Schramsberg in Calistoga and sampled at Sigh “bubble bar” in Sonoma. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely grown varietal, but the region is also famous for Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Merlots.
Napa and Sonoma Valley What to do along the way
Take a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train Up for adventure? Take all your senses for a ride from Napa to St. Helena and back on the Napa Valley Wine Train and see how many wines you can taste. Or, make an appointment at the Tasting Room at Napa Wine Company, and let them come to you. Either way, it’s an oenophile’s paradise. But it’s just scratching the surface of what the area has in store.
Indulge in the valley What’s a great wine without great food to pair it with? Lucky for you, farm-totable is a way of life in Napa and Sonoma. For fine dining, look no further than Thomas Keller’s world-renowned The French Laundry in Yountville. But look far in advance, as reservations can be hard to secure. Less fancy but still delectable are the gourmet burgers and milkshakes at Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena or Napa. Can’t stop eating but want to experience the great outdoors? Stop by Oxbow Public Market in Napa for all the ingredients you’ll need for a picnic in one of the valley’s many picturesque parks, eat your way through Sonoma County on the Sonoma Cheese Trail or sample several varieties of olive oil at Round Pond Estate in Rutherford. It’s too late for 2017, but mark your calendar for the annual Napa Truffle Festival, which takes places in mid-January.
Enjoy endless activities After all that eating and drinking, you’ll have some calories to burn off. You’ll quickly find the climate is ideal for more than just vines and olive trees. There’s canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding on the Napa and Russian rivers, ziplining among the Redwoods with Sonoma Canopy Tours, golf galore and miles of trails for hiking and biking. Once you’re sufficiently worn out, take a load off and see the region from above in a hot-air balloon or visit Sonoma Raceway, which hosts the Toyota Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup event on June 25. That will get your pulse rate up.
Check out the arts Switch gears from high speed to high concept by checking out some of the region’s many art galleries. As an added bonus, some of them are in wineries. Soothe the savage hangover with Music in the Vineyards, a three-week chamber music festival in August. If you can’t make that, Glen Ellen’s Transcendence Theatre Company puts on “Broadway Under the Stars” throughout the summer at Jack London State Park. As the air and leaves turn crisp, head inside for the Napa Valley Film Festival. Just like those judges in 1976, you might be surprised to find what the Napa and Sonoma valleys have to offer is a true work of art, and a taste of the Mediterranean in California.
Napa and Sonoma Valley Where you should stay
Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena A long-standing member of Relais & Chateaux, Meadowood is Napa Valley’s ultimate luxury destination resort, nestled in the heart of iconic St. Helena. Set within the 250-acre estate, 85 exquisitely appointed guest Cottages, Suites and Lodges, featuring fireplaces and terraces, afford the utmost in privacy and serenity. Indulge your inner epicurean at the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood. Sporting life at Meadowood features golf, tennis, swimming, hiking and croquet. Meadowood’s guest services team will design a custom itinerary for your visit, including access to the valley’s most exclusive wineries, restaurants and experiences. ASK ME ABOUT MY EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO AMENITIES
Carneros Resort and Spa, Napa When wine country beckons, The Carneros Resort and Spa is the answer. This uniquely styled retreat has 86 individual guest cottages and suites, 13 luxury villas, 3 full-service restaurants, two swimming pools and a top-rated spa. The cottages themselves are heaven-sent, with cozy fireplaces, fine Italian bedding, spacious patios with teak furnishings and private outdoor spaces. Spend an afternoon at the inspired spa; treatments are based on local flavors, from apricots and olives to goat butter and mustards. Then cap off a memorable day with a dinner of fresh local ingredients — most are locally harvested.
Napa and Sonoma Valley Where you should stay
Farmhouse Inn, Forestville Combine the romance of wine country, the warmth of a family-run inn and a wealth of five-star amenities, and you have Farmhouse Inn. The 25-room boutique luxury hotel blends the outdoors and indoors with two-sided gas fireplaces, private patios, open-air hallways and plenty of communal outdoor spaces. In addition to the spacious suites, the Farmhouse Inn boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant and a 3,000-square-foot spa. Be sure to visit their winery partners — the 12 wineries offer guests complimentary VIP experiences. And don’t forget to enjoy breakfast — the three courses change daily and are often a highlight of visitors’ trips. ASK ME ABOUT MY EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO AMENITIES
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is one of the few hotels in the United States to feature natural hot-springs mineral waters flowing directly beneath it, filling its pools and spa. (The Bathing Ritual is a must, as are the signature Kur treatments.) Many of the guestrooms offer fireplaces and balconies or patios. Play the exclusive 18-hole championship golf course, available to hotel guests and members only; join a water yoga class or daily guided morning hike; or follow one of the concierge-designed tours of Sonoma. Enjoy complimentary wine tasting in the living room–style lobby before your dinner at Michelin-rated SantÊ restaurant.
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
Additional $250 for 3-4 nights or $450 resort credit for 5 or more nights The Cove Atlantis: Paradise Island, Bahamas Valid for travel now through July 31st 2017
Experience Includes: • • • •
Upgrade on arrival, if available (from Ocean Suite to Deluxe Ocean Suite only) Continental breakfast daily, for up to two in-room guests $100 food & beverage credit An additional $250 resort credit for stays of 3-4 or $450 for stays of 5 nights or more • Early check-in/late checkout, if available
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
Additional $100 food & beverage credit Canyon Suites at the Phoenician: Scottsdale, Arizona Valid for travel now through March 5th 2017
Experience Includes: • • • • • •
Upgrade on arrival, if available (not applicable toward suites) Full breakfast daily, for up to two in-room guests (up to $65 credit) $100 food & beverage credit An additional $100 food & beverage credit for stays of 3 nights or more Early check-in/late checkout, if available Complimentary wi-fi
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
Credit to monkey around
Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo: Liberia, Costa Rica Valid for travel now through December 12th 2017
Experience Includes: • A resort credit of $500 per reservation in a Terraza, Brisa or Cielo room with a 5-night minimum stay • A daily resort credit $500 in a suite or private residence with a 5-night minimum stay • Upgrade on arrival, if available (not applicable toward suites) • Buffet breakfast daily, for up to two in-room guests (up to $65 credit) • $100 spa or golf credit
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
4th night free in February
Alpine Adventures & Montage Deer Valley: Park City, Utah Valid for travel from February 1st-28th 2017 (Presidents week, 17th-24th excluded)
Experience Includes: • Experience Includes: • Most room categories eligible • Two adult 2- or 7-day Deer Valley Resort lift tickets • Two adult shared-ride airport transfers from/to Salt Lake City • Upgrade at time of booking, if available (residences eligible for upgrade on arrival, if available) • Daily breakfast credit of $60 per room • $100 spa credit • Early check-in/late checkout, if available
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
4th night free and additional resort credit Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne: Miami, Florida
Valid for travel now through April 30th 2017 (February 17th-20th excluded)
Experience Includes: • Book 4 consecutive nights at best available rate and enjoy the 4th night complimentary (residential suites and studios excluded) • Book 4 consecutive nights at best available rate in an executive suite or club room and receive an additional $100 resort credit • Upgrade on arrival, if available • Daily buffet breakfast, for up to two in-room guests • Early check-in/late checkout, if available • Complimentary wi-fi
Exclusive Virtuoso
World Travel Experiences
Azamara’s Wave Offer Azamara Club Cruises
Valid for Travel June 12th 2017 - April 28th 2018
Experience Includes: Book a voyage between now and March 31st, 2017, and receive 50% off the cruise fare of the second guest and unlimited internet when booking a Club Oceanview or higher stateroom. That’s 50% savings on your second guest and unlimited connectivity all voyage long. Amenities Included: AzAmazing Evenings event | Select standard spirits, international beers and wines | Bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas | Gratuities | Self-service laundry | Shuttle service to and from port communities, where available Concierge services for personal guidance and reservations.
Tech News: Travel Tech
Tecart Aqua BS 100 This portable high-definition speaker measures in at just 4.5 x 2.3 x 1.6 inches and 4.9 ounces, but it punches well above its weight, with a 30-foot sound radius. Play music from your phone, tablet or any other Bluetooth-enabled device. You can also use it hands-free so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your pool floatie to answer the phone. If you happen to drop it in the pool, that’s OK too: It’s waterproof. TO LEARN MORE OR TO ORDER CLICK ON PRODUCT IMAGE
Café Wifi
It’s tough to get things done on the go, especially without internet access. Find a nice quiet space to work wherever you are with the Café Wifi app. Now, not only do you have a spot to connect, you have reviews on internet speeds, where to find an outlet to charge up and what drinks to order. When you’re ready to log off, leave your own review and pass on the knowledge to future wayward travelers.
PackPoint What’s the weather like where you’re headed? Are those shoes sturdy enough for that hike? Make sure you have everything you need with PackPoint. Enter your travel dates, length of stay and planned activities, and let the app create your packing list for you. Finally got a reservation at that exclusive restaurant? Tell PackPoint, and it’ll remind you to bring that suit or little black dress.
Please Go Away!