Home & Away with Robert Walshe
www.robertwalshe.com
Holiday Hotspot – Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC & Aer Lingus
Washington D.C. is a contemporary city rich in American history. Most of the world famous D.C. memorials are within walking distance of one another. From the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial, you’ll cross the grounds of the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial (The Wall), the Reflecting Pool, the World War II Memorial and of course, the Washington Monument. This area leading to the Capitol building and beyond to the Jefferson Memorial is more
■ Lincoln Memorial Washington
commonly known as The National Mall. The White House is quite literally around the corner, so you can see it all without having to cover too much ground. Arlington National Cemetery is also an experience that you’ll never forget. The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers is by far the highlight. The National Gallery of Art provides a stunning home for 4,000 European and American paintings, 3,000 sculptures, 31,000 drawings, 70,000 prints, 12,000 photographs, and much more. The memorials aren’t the only history within the region. Quick trips will get you Mount Vernon, Annapolis and Baltimore. A full day trip will also
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take you to Thomas Jefferson’s iconic plantation, Monticello. www. destinationdc. com One of the finest hotels in DC is Four Seasons Four Restaurant at a well know land■ Bourbon Steak mark sitting at the Seasons DC entrance to trendy Georgetown. It is near the cafe-lined Potomac ach and wagyu beef waterside and a short walk are joined by locally from the main shopping street sourced fare such as offering designer boutiques, Virginia swordfish, ■ Aer Lingus to W ashington cafes, restaurants and galler- plus a shellfish and ies. With 1,650 pieces of origi- caviar selection. Four nal art scattered throughout Seasons DC is the only five- c r e a s e its two wings the hotel has star, five-diamond hotel in a in frequency to Orlando 222 rooms, all with stylish capital city abuzz with activ- from three to four flights per contemporary furniture and ity and most enjoyable when week. The newly introduced brand-new bathrooms with Congress is in session. Visit business class on long haul is soaking tubs and separate www.fourseasons.com Aer a welcome addition for those glass-and-stone showers. An- Lingus operate four flights a who simply wish to sleep, other feature at Four Seasons week from Dublin to Washing- work, dine or relax. This will is a large two-lane saltwater ton DC until January 2016. In be facilitated by the new cuslap pool with spa tub, adjoin- a further boost to its growing tom designed Vantage seat ing sauna and eucalyptus long haul business, the airline which converts into a full-liesteam room. Michael Mina, is also increasing capacity on flat 6’6’’ (2 metres) bed.This the award-winning American- other transatlantic routes in- Aer Lingus service has transbased celebrity chef, heads cluding an extra daily flight formed the airlines higher end up Obama favourite “Bourbon to San Francisco, up from five offer moving it centre stage Steak” restaurant with indoor weekly, the introduction of a on long haul out of Ireland. and outdoor seating. Steak- third daily flight to New York Dublin Airport is also one of house classics such as an aged until August, departing Dub- a handful of airports outside porterhouse, creamed spin- lin at 7:50 am daily plus an in- North America offering a US
preclearance facility. Passengers arriving in the US are treated as domestic arrivals, which allows for faster processing through their arrival airport in the United States including the checking through of any baggage to a final destination. www.aerlingus.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Citybeat & Q Radio Network in Northern Ireland. He is also Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com