{Editor’s Note: We haven’t been to this newly revamped hotel, but this Florida Keys property is on our list.}

What
Transplant a whimsical Nantucket cottage onto a prime, shore-front plot along a hundred mile chain of small islands, and the result is the Postcard Inn At Holiday Isle. With a beachy colour scheme—headboards and benches wrapped in rope, whitewashed wood plank feature walls, driftwood-base lamps—this property re-imagines the family vacation destination without skimping on design.

Fifteen acres of private beach, two pools, fishing, diving, snorkeling, water sports and the world famous onsite “Rumrunner” tiki bar make this trip style = beach + sun spring break spot a win-win with every member of the fam.

Where
Islamorada, Florida Keys, about a 1.5 hour drive from the Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Key West airports.

When
December to May is high season with agreeable temperatures and droves of winter escapists. June through October are the transitional months with a rainier forecast, which also happens to coincide with hurricane season. November and May are the travel sweet spot: warm temperatures and fewer crowds.

Who/Why
You want a Caribbean experience—balmy weather, laid back locals, world-class above- and below-surface water activities—-without traveling too far or leaving the US.

Cost
From $230/night in high season. If you’re traveling as a family, ask for a room with mini fridge and microwave. A $15 per room/night resort fee covers self-parking, wifi, etc…

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More Roam+Board
Nira Alpina – Switzerland
Rockhouse – Jamaica
Hotel Bellevue – Near Seattle
Rolling Huts – Methow Valley {WA}
Golden Rock Inn – Nevis
The Ace NYC – New York
The Viceroy – Palm Springs
Sorobon Beach Resort – Bonaire
From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos via PCI beach resort & marina]

One of the biggest travel time wasters is fretting over what hotel to book getting stuck in research mode comparing features, price, location, etc.

Have you been there? I have, and it results in hotel decision paralysis. The worst case scenario—like shopping at the dual-winged multi-floor Macy’s NYC—is you get overwhelmed by the options and give up.

Over the past year, Kayak’s been working on a series of solutions for “hotel research purgatory”, with the latest of three launching last Thursday. Now, when you research a hotel on Kayak, there are three hotel recommendation check boxes in the left column for filtering results by Trip Advisor reviews, Frommer’s or Budget Travel picks. Check one box, or all three for super filtered results.

It’s like having a friend or hotel expert from Frommer’s or Budget Travel help you decide which hotel is the right fit for your trip style = ……..

Hotel research crisis averted.

More Tech Tuesday
STOP, Are You Using A Promo Code?
Trading Airline Points
The Six-Week Rule For Buying Airline Tix
Dashboard To Wall
Hotel Tonight

[img via kayak]

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On behalf of the entire Trip Styler editorial team, we’re excited to welcome Keryn as our newest columnist. Her topic will be kids ‘n travel, aka KinderHop, which will publish on the third Monday of every month.

I met Keryn last summer in Vancouver at a massive travel blogging conference, and she dazzled me with stories of taking her baby on more than an in-flight snack pack’s worth of domestic and international jaunts. She was a traveler before kids and has maintained this wanderlust with her family of three—soon to be four—jetting off or road tripping once monthly! Since then, we’ve kept in touch and I’ve followed her Seattle-based travel blog about traveling with kid{s}. I’m looking forward to bringing this travel go-getter’s perspective and expertise to the TS crew, which even had her taking multiple road trips in her third trimester! To kick things off, a formal introduction:

“Never think a trip is impossible. The hardest step is the first step out the door. After that it just gets easier.” – Keryn

1/ Former day job?
Production manager at an art book production house in downtown Seattle.

2/ Current day job?
Mom, playmate, family travel agent and explorer of all things that can entertain a mom and toddler for a morning out of the house.

3/ Number of kids?
One 2.5 year old boy, Dek, and another little one on the way at the end of April.

4/ First flight with your son and where?
Dek was 3.5 months old when we flew from Seattle to Philadelphia for the holidays. Our longest flight was when Dek was 14 months old from Seattle to Hong Kong for my business trip. In that same trip we did an add-on and flew to up to Beijing for a week of fun.

5/ Have your top trip styles changed with kids?
We favour trip style = beach, urban and budget conscious with or without kids, and prioritize travel even more with kids than we did before! It is our guaranteed, uninterrupted family time. Work and life get in the way too much.

6/ Rent a condo or stay in a hotel room?
We rent a condo or house whenever it is more affordable, which is most of the time. If it’s a quick weekend trip we will grab a hotel room or a suite. This summer my husband is pushing for trip style = camping!

7/ Last few trips, and upcoming travels?
Over the last four months we’ve been to Whistler, Victoria, Hawaii, Orcas Island and did Asia in the spring. Looking ahead, we’re trying to do New Hampshire this summer and a big trip to Europe in the Fall {London, Switzerland, Italy and Sicily are in the works at the moment.}

8/ Traveling with kids is awesome because…
They make you stop and really look at where you are. No one can slow you down like a toddler, but that is not a bad thing. Instead of rushing through 15 sights on a trip, you get to invest in and learn about 5-10. Travel stress goes way down and you learn to move at a different and much more enjoyable pace. You are supposed to be on holiday after all, you should enjoy it!

“If it’s horrible, you can always come home.” - Words Keryn’s dad imparted as she embarked on her first international trip at 16.

[photos via keryn]

Yesterday we took a trip style = spa + weekend getaway to Harrison Hot Springs for a cozy and rejuvenating escape. Beyond the springs, travel down some of area’s country roads to pick up award-winning cheese and fresh-roast coffee, or meander down the Harrison River to view t-h-o-u-s-a-n-d-s of bald eagles in their natural habitat.

Harrison’s Secrets

Sturgeon Fishing And Eagle Watching
Huddled around a heater on a BC Sport Fishing Group jet boat, I asked owner Tony Nootebos if his 22-boat operation catered mainly to men. I assumed reeling in 5-11ft dinosaur-era sturgeons was the ultimate mancation—ok, it is. Turns out ladies like it too, accounting for 21% of his clients, some of whom come for stagettes. During the late-fall/winter grab the binocs and eagle watch! This year, over 400,000 salmon spawning drew in excess of 4000 eagles. It was a party!
Know this:
- BC Sport Fishing group uses a barbless hook to catch, tag and release sturgeon, working in concert with the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society.
- Some boats are specialized for wheelchairs!
- Open everyday but Christmas.

Farm Fresh Cheese
When local cheesemaker Debra Amrein-Boyes of The Farm House Natural Cheeses was asked to send three cheeses to the White House as a gift to Obama, she obviously cleared her schedule. Within a 12-minute drive of Harrison, this family-run, working farm, makes cheese that pushes the boundaries of non-confrontational cheese with goat gouda, quark and 20+ other varieties.
Know this:
- Open Mon – Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. Closed January, Easter Sunday, Dec. 25 & 26.
- Buy in Vancouver at les amis du FROMAGE, Whole Foods and Save-On-Foods.

Fresh-Roast Coffee, And Pottery
Learn what it’s like to live and work off the land by a family of artisans. At The Back Porch, Lynda sells her recently spun pottery and Dan uses his circa 1919 flame roaster to churn farmer-friendly, organic and shade-grown beans. Roasted daily, far, far away from any Starbucks!
Know this:
- Open Wed – Sun 11 – 5. Closed December 25 to March 1.

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More IMG_FRI
Bora Bora
Portlandia
Honolulu
Urbanesque Coffee Shop in Bellevue, WA

[eagle photos by Tony Nootebos, all others by @tripstyler, taken while a guest of Tourism Harrison]

{Editor’s Note: Today is Trip Styler’s introduction to Harrison Hot Springs, look out for some of the area’s foodie stops and wilderness adventures on Friday.}

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Dear Harrison,
At multiple junctures we’ve almost brushed shoulders. It’s not that I didn’t want to meet you, our paths never crossed.

And then, late in 2011, mutual friends connected our interests and a date was set. Harry, apparently you were making up for lost time, pulling out all the stops with a soak in the spring-fed mineral pools, massage in the spa and an evening of dinner and dancing.
xoxo,
Trish
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It was a cold and rainy late-November day and with a weekend bag and still-warm Creme De La Crumb scone in tow, I made the arrow-straight, highway journey to Harrison Hot Springs from Vancouver. This road is well traveled in summer; in winter the lake-front destination is quiet and cozy with budget-friendly appeal.

The area’s farm-to-table foodie stops and world-class nature exploration notwithstanding {more on this Friday}, the natural hot springs and spa at the Harrison Resort & Spa are the pièces de résistance. Luxuriate in the mineral pools in the early morning or at night {fewer spa-goers at this time} to watch the steam dance and water glow against the surrounding blue-black mountains.

When the clock strikes eight, get dolled-up like Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant, and go back in time {literally} at the hotel’s legendary Copper Room supper club. Dressed-up tables with dimly lit lamps are intimately arranged around the well-heeled dance floor, used every night thanks to the longtime crooners, The Jones Boys. Watching “Erma and Norm” storm the dance floor at the first hint of Moonriver, will make even the most timid dancers bust out their limited moves in the name of love.

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Harry, I wish our first date would have resulted in a rose ceremony, but I’m a modern girl, so I’ll settle for an itinerary filled with romantic gestures instead.

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[photos c/o abundantc, harrison resort & trip styler, taken while a guest of tourism harrison]

{Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!}

This month we asked our very own Fashion Friday editor about her travel beauty favorites. Check out what Heather has to say. We’ll also be featuring other TS editors’ preferred products in the coming months, so stay tuned.

What are your 3 favorite travel-friendly beauty products?

1/ I swear by a facial sunscreen that I heard about in a Trip Styler Travel Beauty post over a year ago: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sun Protection SPF 55. I put it on before my make-up and reapply it throughout the day. This sunscreen protects my fairer than fair skin.

{Heather’s tip: As you sweat in the sweltering sun, your sunscreen has a tendency to trickle under your sunglasses and into your eyes. Ouch! Remember to keep it away from your eye area during application.}

2/ Malin+Goetz makes a great travel kit that’s both male and female friendly and includes sensitive-skin face cleanser, face moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, body cleanser and body moisturizer.

3/ I love Giovanni’s individually wrapped sanitizing towelettes. They have many uses while traveling, plus they smell fantastic. I love the mixed bag of grapefruit, peppermint and lavender towelettes. So refreshing!

What beauty routine do you follow while on vacation?

I’m an everyday fan of the five-minute face. On a warm-weather vacation, I make it a three-minute face, always using SPF 30+ sunscreen as the base, followed by mineral powder. No need for primping your peepers, as they’ll be covered by sunnies. I’m also a fan of the top knot and the scarf turban to keep my hair out of the way. On an urban or cold-weather vacation, a hat does wonders for frizzy or unwashed hair and a pulled-together look—applies to guys too!

{Heather’s tip: Check out this simple how-to video on tying your own scarf turban.}

Do you do anything in flight to stay beautified?

On a long flight, just before descent, I always brush my teeth, spritz my face with Caudalie Beauty Elixir and apply lip gloss and Laura Mercier Translucent Mineral Powder to make me feel clean, refreshed and ready for public view. Plus a little blush and deodorant never did anyone any harm, right?

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[photos via @heatherlovesit + russh mag + products mentioned]

Notice how any time you check out online—be it for a flight, hotel stay or jacket purchase—there’s a promo code input box?

It’s a love/hate thing. I love these little blank boxes when I have a discount code to insert, and hate them when I’m checking out sans 10%, 20% or 30% discount. Urg, savings of what could have been.

The Solution
Google to the rescue. For example, if you’re about to click “buy” on an Air Canada flight to London and you see an empty promo code box; stop! Open a new window and Google “Air Canada promo codes.” When I do this type of search , 60% of the time I score relevant promo codes through sites like RetailMeNot. The worst case scenario is the code you find and insert doesn’t work. A for effort and only one minute of your day is lost!

Why
Using promotional channels like website landing pages, email, Twitter and Facebook, airlines and hotels are always publishing semi-secret discount codes. Take 10 seconds to Google “<insert airline or hotel name here> promo code”  and you could save yourself a good chunk of change, especially if you’re about to buy an international flight or multi-night hotel stay.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

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More Tech Tuesday
Trading Airline Points
The Six-Week Rule {When to buy airline tix}
Liftopia
Dashboard To Wall
Hotel Tonight

[img by @tripstyler]

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Last weekend I was in Portland for the third time in just over a year. I swear, a Nasa-grade laser beam keeps drawing me back. And it’s not just me; anyone I talk to who’s visited once, always becomes a lifer, gobbling up a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g to do with the trip style = urban playground.

What I love about PDX’ing is the farm-to-table, handmade, bike-everywhere spirit. In no other city would someone inquire if my vest was handmade or give directions as if I was biking. Similarly, when I asked the hotel concierge where to shop in the area, he told me about a bunch of independent boutiques, purposefully failing to mention any of the department stores or chain shops like Anthropologie in the area.

Brunch. Tasty n Sons: A neighborhood bistro with a menu that’s anything but. Think breakfast tapas like griddled bacon wrapped dates with maple syrup and almond, or sweet biscuits with warm blueberry compote and creme anglais.

Trip Styler Tip :: If you want to avoid the brunch rush, go early around 8.45am to secure a table for the 9am open. If you can’t get up early, get in line and send your partner to Ristretto Rosters down the street for a coffee.

Brunch. Broder: Scandinavian fare in the Pacific Northwest. Whatever you do, make sure you sample a potato pancake, pictured above.

Shop. Beckel Canvas: After brunching at Broder, walk down the street to Beckel Canvas, a family-run business operating out of a little production facility and storefront in an area filled with family homes. They make all their products—from canvas totes to duffels to tents—on site.

Shop. Schoolhouse Electric Supply & Co: Filament bulbs, deco-modern lights and minimalist decor in a massive brick warehouse with a flower shop and coffeehouse in the space.

Shop. Hawthorne District: Vintage clothing and furniture shops galore. While there, I could have picked up a million things for the home, but I resisted and snapped up a vintage 70s Coach bag {made in NYC before production was shipped overseas} instead.

*Don’t miss our dinner & hotel suggestions in the top three links below.

Related Content
Spotlight Portland {part deux}
Spotlight Portland {part one}
Ace Portland
Jetset Jingles :: Portland
IMG_FRI :: Portlandia
Vancouver to Seattle Must-Stops

[photos by @tripstyler @nate_fri @heatherlovesit]

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“The most captivating natural beauty I’ve come across was in Bora Bora, the sand was like flour and the water was so clear you could see down to your feet perfectly.” -Marisa

Earlier this week we interviewed Marisa for our monthly The Savvy Traveler column. This NY-based jetsetter works hard in PR to play hard in distant destinations like Spain, Brazil or Istanbul, allocating every available ounce of her vacation time to travel. She gushed most about Bora Bora, so I thought some IMG_FRI photos would be a welcome end-of-the-week distraction.

On my radar: Le Taha’a Island Resort and Spa, a Relais & Chateaux property with a constant position on the Condé Nast Gold List, a 10-minute helicopter ride from Bora Bora.

[photos via la taha'a]

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Mancations are on my mind. My husband, who is fast becoming Mr. Trip Styler with a travel schedule that’s outpacing mine, has two on his roster, plus my friend is organizing a 14-guy bachelor break to San Francisco.

{Trip Styler Tip :: See Mancation tips, resources and definition here.}

Occasionally, I wish I were a man, so I could take a man trip; there’s no drama, virtually no budget, and a sport-filled schedule. Man time is maximized, nay a spa week in sight; they’re in, they’re out, and back to normal life. Done.

The more I think about it, Mr. breaks are just like men {at least on the surface}; direct and not too complicated. Maybe one day I’ll get invited on a mancation, or take a girls getaway moonlighting as a mancation, but for now, I’ll live vicariously through the men in my life.

Curious about what makes a mancation tick, here’s a peek into two bro furloughs my husband is taking over the next few weeks:

The 30-Hour Cat Ski
Destination :: Cascade Mountains, WA
- Friday afternoon: leave {by car}
- Eat a meaty take-out dinner on the road
- Drive to a small hotel near the cat ski base camp
- Saturday: ski brains out with Cascade Powder Cats
- Late afternoon, drive home

The 48-Hour Sport ‘n Sun
Destination :: Scottsdale, AZ
- Monday afternoon: leave {by plane}
- Evening of bbq’ing, tequila, cigars and hot tubbing at a vacation rental
- Tuesday: brunch, golf, hockey {watch The Phoenix Coyotes play the Vancouver Canucks in a suite at the arena}
- Wednesday: morning breakfast, afternoon flight home.

[photos via cascade powder cats & grayhawk]