1. 

   Viceroy Palm Springs, one of the 10 Steamiest Resorts in the World

   Las Ventanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos, Mexico

2. Hermitage Bay, Antigua, Caribbean
3. Jade Mountain, St. Lucia, Caribbean
4. Maroma Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya, Mexico
5. Four Seasons Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii
6. Mystique, Santorini, Greece
7. Trisara, Phuket, Thailand
8. Le Tahaa Resort & Spa, Motu Tautau, French Polynesia
9. Viceroy Palm Springs, Palm Springs, California
10. Gansevoort South, Miami Beach, Florida

Full details about why these resorts were dubbed as the cream of the steamy crop, along with amenities, rates, and additional information, can be found in the September/October edition of BRIDES Magazine.

Photo credit: maggiejumps @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

10 Steamiest Resorts in the World

The resort will have 85 well appointed guest rooms and suites on four levels, and all rooms will feature either a private terrace or balcony. Other special room features include a window seat (I can see myself lounging there, reading a book, and sipping a delicious glass of red wine), fireplace (I can see myself sitting in front of a fire, sipping a delicious glass of red wine), and soaking tubs (I can see myself lounging in a bubble bath, sipping a delicious glass of red wine).  Notice the theme, here?!

The spa will offer 12 treatment rooms, sauna, pool, waterfalls, reflection pond, and private gardens.  Also on site will be a restaurant and bar featuring local ingredients and products.  Yummmm, more delicious red wine!  Meeting space and conference facilities will also be available.

The Allison features several green initiatives, including solar hot water, eco-roofing on one wing, and no plastic bottles are used on the property.  Green practices were used in the building, and sustainable practices used in the ongoing operation of the resort.  The resort is seeking LEED certification, joining a small group of hotels and resorts committed to doing business in an eco-friendly way.

Resort guests will be nearby to about 200 wineries for visiting and tasting.  Other nearby amenities and attractions include hot air ballooning, helicopter tours of the wine country, golfing at the new 18-hole Chehalem Glenn golf course, biking, horseback riding, and shopping.

The Allison Inn & Spa is located at 2525 Allison Lane in Newberg, Oregon.  It is a member of the Preferred Boutique Hotels, the first one in Oregon.  Although online reservations are not yet accepted, the hotel is slated for opening in September 2009 and is accepting reservations requests by email.  Rates start at $295, and I expect there will be a variety of special promotions and packages available.

I’ve got a visit here on my fall to-do list!  How about you?

Photo credit: fall-line  @flickr

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Indulge in Fall Luxury in Oregon’s Wine Country

The Empress, now part of the Fairmont brand, opened in 1908, and although it has been through a variety of restorations, the original look remains.  It’s been a favorite of Hollywood, old and new, and is a popular choice for special occasions.

Many people, even if they’re not staying at the hotel, opt to visit for the legendary Afternoon Tea.  Served in the Tea Lobby, the Harborside Room, and in the Library, Afternoon Tea has been an Empress tradition for nearly 100 years.  Seating starts at noon and requires reservations, often times weeks in advance.  You can always check for a last minute cancellation, or no-show, as reservations are only held for 10 minutes.

The hotel strives for authenticity with the menu and the presentation.  Here’s a little sample from the menu:

• Fresh Seasonal Fruit with Chantilly Cream
• Warm Raisin Scones served with Strawberry preserves and Devonshire Cream
• Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Sandwiches
• Multigrain Crostini topped with mixed Mushroom Pate, drizzled with Truffle Oil (open-faced)
• Battenburg-Vanilla and Chocolate Sponge Checkerboard wrapped in marzipan
• Lemon Tart- Lemon Curd with Berry Garnish
• Marble Chocolate Tulip- a cherry hidden under milk and white Chocolate in a Chocolate Tulip Cup

An Afternoon Royal Tea, which includes a glass of champagne is also available.  If you’re traveling with children, they’ll be treated like royalty with the Prince & Princess Tea, which has menu selections specifically designed for a child’s palate:

• Teddy Bear Cookies
• Mini Cup Cake filled with Jelly Beans
• Cucumber Finger Sandwiches
• Heart-Shaped Cream Cheese & Raspberry Jam Sandwich
• Bubblegum Tea

The Fairmont Empress is located at 721 Government Street (overlooking the Inner Harbor) in Victoria, British Columbia.

Photo credit: Paul Mannix @flickr

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A Bit of Old England at the Empress Hotel, British Columbia

The two-night package includes standard resort facilities (deluxe beachfront accommodations, spa treatments, meals, and in-room amenities), and it also includes some pre-proposal assistance.  A carriage ride, couple’s massage, and in-room Champagne and rose, set the mood for the romantic questions, and after the answer is YES, you can celebrate with a penthouse party where you’ve cleverly snuck in family and friends.  Additional options include an engagement photo shoot, DVD recording, and private online album.  And if you need some help with crafting the right words for your proposal, or finding the right engagement ring, the Betrothal Butler can help with that as well.

Creative ideas are the norm for the Betrothal Butler, whether it’s finding a ring in the 18th hole (for a golf lover), inside an oyster (for the foodie), in the sauna (for the fitness buff), or anything else that you can think of or start to think of.  These people can make it happen, and make it happen in a big way.

LaPlaya has 189 guestrooms, featuring private balconies with views of the gulf, bay or garden.  Other features include marble bathroom, twice-daily maid service, CD players, and high speed internet access.  I’d hope that the latter would be used to share the news with others, rather than mean you couldn’t stop Twittering your latest blog post!  The resort has a white-sand beach with umbrellas and cabanas, a spa, gym, and salon, several pools, a lagoon, and a new 18-hole golf course.

Betrothal Butler packages start at $998.

Photo credit: SXC

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Vacation Proposal with Help from the Betrothal Butler

Summer is in full swing which means it’s vacation time! If you have a pet, though, you’ve got a lot of extra preparation to consider before you even pack your bags: Where will the dog stay? Who will take care of the cats? Why not take them with you!

Many hotels and resorts around the world are realizing how important pets are to their guests and have become accommodating by not only allowing supervised pets on the properties but some even go so far as to provide special outdoor areas for them as well.

My friend and fellow pet lover Alicia helped me find a few of the links below – they’ll definitely help make life easier the next time you need a weekend away!

BringYourPet.com lets you search worldwide for pet-friendly hotels, chalets, bed and breakfasts, resorts, lodges, and motels.

PetsWelcome.com offers pet-friendly listings (use the menu on the left), as well as emergency vet locations and kennels nationwide. They even have a section just for cat-friendly spots!

PetTravel.com lets you search by city, country or region, and even has informative articles on pets and timeshares and immigration and quaratine.

DogFriendly.com provides travel guides specifically for dog owners.

PetFriendlyTravel not only lists hotels, motels, B&Bs, etc, but also restaurants and recreation areas.

1ClickPetHotels lists only pet-friendly hotels and motels by state or province.

[image: flickr]

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Pet-Friendly Lodgings