Choice Quotes From the Travel Office

ocean pavilion

An ocean pavilion positioned along the oceanfront with views of the ocean.

In addition to their personal consultations with Mr. Harper, our Travel Office conducts a huge amount of research during the course of their trip planning efforts. Occasionally they discover hotel descriptions so wonderfully awry that they can’t help but file them away for posterity. Here are a few of their favorites from the recent past:

“Upon arrival, snacks, wine, and soda drinks will not fail.”

“Filled with fresh fruit fragrance and delicious, lychee wine makes you unforgettable once you have sipped it.”

“After check in, explore the gardens and lookout point with your Naturist guide.”

“Ocean Pavilions are positioned along the oceanfront with views of the ocean.”

“Oversized doors, windows and overhead fans allow you to let in the fresh hilltop breezes and jungle aromas.”

“Enjoy the scenery and come prepared to be rough and ready.”

Copenhagen's Enchanting Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

Copyright Stig Nygaard

Copenhagen has built a number of remarkable new attractions over the last several years: Daniel Libeskind’s starkly cubist Jewish Museum just south of Christiansborg Palace; Zaha Hadid’s sinuous extension of the Ordrupgaard art museum; Norman Foster’s grand Elephant House at the Copenhagen Zoo. But visitors staying at the Harper-recommended Hotel Nimb will have the pleasure of experiencing the city’s oldest and finest wonder, Tivoli Gardens.

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Sra. Martinez Restaurant, Miami

Chef Michelle Bernstein

Chef Michelle Bernstein

On a recent Second Saturday art stroll in Miami’s Design District, we were fortunate to snag a bar seat at Sra. Martinez (pronounced “Señora Martinez”), a convivial tapas restaurant housed in a handsome old post office on the corner of 40th Street and Second Avenue. We’ve had mixed experiences at contemporary small-plate restaurants before, many of which seem to involve more crockery than food, but Sra. Martinez was a delight.

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Travel Photo of the Week: Big Sur, California

Big Sur, California

Copyright Chris Willis.

A remarkable beach sunset scene in Big Sur, California.

The Andrew Harper-recommended Ventana Inn in Big Sur is currently offering a four-night stay for 40% off retail in Harper Auctions.

The Classic Pubs of Oxford, England

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford. Copyright ajagendorf25.

Public houses play a very important role in the intellectual life of this romantic university town. Since most of Oxford University’s 38 colleges are off-limits to the public during term time, the pubs serve as friendly, egalitarian spaces where visitors, townsfolk, students and dons all can enjoy a pint of bitter in creaky but convivial quarters. And much like the city itself, they are filled with ghosts and stories. Mr. Harper’s recommended lodging in Oxford is the Old Bank Hotel.
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Photo of the Week: Traffic Congestion in Udaipur, India

Traffic Congestion in Udaipur, India

Copyright Sistak

A rush hour scene in Udaipur, India, which is also known for its magnificent Rajput-era palaces.

Devi Gahr, a remarkable fortress palace nestled in the Aravali Hills just outside of the city, is currently offering a three-night stay valued at $3,126 for $470 in Harper Auctions. More details can be found here.

Costa Rica Family Adventure Tour Itinerary

Costa Rica

Copyright Stan Rawrysz

The upcoming Andrew Harper Family Adventure Tour to Costa Rica (July 27 – August 4, 2010) promises a host of memorable sights and experiences: witnessing a giant sea turtle lay her eggs on a Caribbean beach, cruising along tidal rivers through a chattering rainforest, ambling through a cloud forest on a high suspension bridge, soaking in volcano-fueled hot springs and relaxing on pristine beaches.

What follows is the full itinerary (more specifics can be found here). If you are not a member and wish to join the tour, please contact our Membership Department for details at (800) 375 4685:
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Andrew Harper's Packing Tips

Yaxha Ruins of Guatemala

The Yaxha Ruins of Guatemala. Copyright Walter Rodriguez

We all have our personal strategies to make the journey from Point A to Point B more bearable and to protect us from unfortunate circumstances while abroad. Thirty years of professional wandering have left me with the following pieces of advice. I hope you find them useful.

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News From Bhutan's Amankora

Amankora

Amankora

All of Andrew Harper’s recommended properties in the developing world distinguish themselves with philanthropic work, but we’ve just heard of a particularly notable project that involves an adventurous young Norwegian woman, an icy trek in the Himalayas and several hundred pounds of warm children’s clothing. Many isolated villages in the mountain kingdom of Bhutan struggle with a high mortality rate for children under 5 because of the common cold and pneumonia. Next month, Amankora Punakha lodge Manager Torunn Tronsvang will make a 25-day high-altitude trek to the northern portion of the country to deliver warm clothing to children in 15 to 20 remote villages. Tronsvang leaves on May 20 for her “Snowman Trek,” and should you be interested in supporting her efforts (including sponsoring a yak!), you can find details here. For more updates on the project, Amankora’s Facebook page can be found here.

The Grand Hotel Dining Rooms of Paris

L’Espadon, Hotel Ritz

L’Espadon, Hotel Ritz

Grand hotel dining rooms in Paris used to be the last refuge of the gastronomically timid. Tucked away behind the potted palms, weary travelers could be assured of waiters who spoke English and a kitchen that wouldn’t spring an exotic sauce on anyone who just wanted a steak.  Some hotels, notably the Ritz, had always been famous for the quality of their cooking; otherwise, hotel dining rooms were safe and dull.
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