Whistler :: Live High. Pay Low.

[trip style = weekend getaway]  [more pics below]

Whistler In The Summer There's nothing like summer in Whistler---other than epic winters, quiet autumns and fresh springs.  Admittedly, I love all seasons at the world famous mountains. Attracting summer outdoor enthusiasts locally and from around the world, the resort town an hour and a half from Vancouver swells---both in temperature and population---every summer with bbq's a blazin', bikes a downhillin', hikers a climbin' and foodies a tastin.' In fact, thanks to a fishing resort opening in 1914 that has since closed, Whistler was a summer destination long before it was the number one ski resort in North America. Locals always laugh at the truth of the expression "I came to Whistler for the winter but stayed for the summer.”

Live Like a High-Roller, Pay Like a Local Being a well known resort and home of the 2010 Olympic Winter games means Whistler caters to the luxury seeking spenders and the low-key savers, but the best part about the town of 10,000 is the summer season affords both lifestyles. Here's how to live like a high-roller for locals prices:

Do

• Golf
  • Whistler: Yes, you can pay around $195 to golf at any of the 3 highly acclaimed golf courses in Whistler, or you can play smart and take part in the Fairmont course's Wednesday Date Night where approx. $99 includes golf after 3pm and dinner for two people.
  • Pemberton: Just a half hour from Whistler, Pemberton has 2 courses that offer just as breathtaking scenery and level of play for a fraction of the price. Play an executive course or a full round at Big Sky or The Meadows from $25. [pic of Big Sky below]
• Hike
  • Whether you take the Whistler gondola or the Blackcomb chairlifts up to either mountain, the hiking is breathtaking. Summer lift tickets can be purchased online for $39.95. If you'd rather hike for free, check out the Cougar Mountain trail (8km round trip) near Whistler, the Garibaldi Lake trail (approx 21km round trip) 20 minutes outside of Whistler or the extensive village trail system.
• Lake
  • Whistler's lakes offer a natural air conditioning from the summer's heat. Lost Lake and Alta Lake feature multiple parks and beaches with gradual water entry.
• Drift
  • Floating down Whistler's gentle-flowing River of Golden Dreams is a fun activity the whole family can enjoy. Many first-timers choose a canoe or kayak as their transportation of choice, whereas the seasoned drifters prefer inner tubes.
• Spa
  • Whistler has a lot of spas---it comes with the resort territory---but none are as unique and beautiful as the newly opened Scandinave Spa. Popular with men, ladies, couples and singles, Scandinave's bathing ritual combining hot-cold-relax repeat, hot-cold-relax repeat, is both healing and rejuvenating. It's easy to spend 2+ hours rotating between the sauna, cold plunge pools, relaxation rooms, outdoor chairs, hot tubs and eucalyptus steam room, all while staring into the distance at snow-capped peaks. Mineral baths from $58. Don't miss the 9am massage specials. [see pics below]

Eat

• Fairmont
  • Every Friday in the summer (and sometimes the fall), the Fairmont Chateau Whistler presents Fairmont Fridays where the Mallard Lounge offers a $5 beer option, a $5 cocktail option, free appetizers from 5.30-6.30pm and live music.
• Four Seasons
  • Right now the Four Seasons' Fifty-Two 80 Bistro & Bar is offering 7 Days of Apres with different drink and food specials nightly. Three dollar beer is the bevvie of choice on Friday, but you'll have to get in line. A deal like this goes over well with the locals.
• Creekbread
  • Sitting across from the base of Whistler Creekside, Creekbread Flatbread Pizza Co offers great prices year-round, and Tuesday evenings donates part of its proceeds to a local non-profit.
• Farmer's Market
  • Every Sunday during the summer from 11am-4pm, the Upper Village turns into a hippy-meets-high-end farmer's market. If you want to cook a gourmet meal a la Jamie Oliver you can pick up a wide variety of fresh, organic and locally grown produce, breads and nuts. Yum.

Stay Summer is a time when Whistler's population swells in the day but shrinks at night. In other words, day tripping is king leaving hotels and condo owners pining for guests. As a result, rates drop a lot. During the summer it's not abnormal to find a one-bedroom condo for rent on sites like alluradirect.com or ownerdirect.com starting in the $59 range. Renting a condo also ensures you can control your costs more with a kitchen, etc...

Pictures Big Sky Golf Club Pemberton

Scandinave Spa

Related Spotlight :: Whistler A Slower-Paced Whistler Spring Skiing Bliss & Deals

[Photos by @tripstyler]

Travel Trends :: Haute Couture Hotels

[trip style = luxury]

A few months ago I wrote about designer-inspired hotels and decor, mentioning Posh's potential hotel deal in Dubai, Armani's growing brood of properties and stylist Amanda Ross' consulting gig for W. It's safe to say these Paris Fashion Week regulars agree that fashion and travel are not exclusive, and a trend gaining steam like celebrities and their signature perfumes/colognes is haute couture hotel collaborations. The latest recruits to high fashion hotels are Gucci and Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF). Here are some details:

Gucci It appears Dubai is the place to be, er, have a hotel right now. Elisabetta Gucci, daughter of famed designer Paolo Gucci is opening a hotel in Dubai later this year. The 87-room luxury boutique hotel will feature all the accoutrements of high-end hoteling plus an exclusive limousine service and roof-top lounge. Once you pay an estimated $420 for a basic room, you'll be able to buy anything in the hotel--from furniture to slippers. I expect those will be the nicest hotel slippers you ever wear, monogrammed and all. This project isn't that much of a stretch for the Gucci heiress given she works in the design world creating interiors, furniture and art. And according to Reuters, this fashionista means business, in addition to the Dubai Hotel opening late this year, she's also planning another 40 over the next 15 years in the Middle East, Far East and South America.

DVF First it was her iconic wrap dresses, then suitcases, now hotels. Not too shabby. The always-classy DVF will plunge into the world of interior hotel design at London's Claridge's Hotel. Here's what she has to say about the partnership "One of my fondest memories was when I was in London as a young, independent businesswoman and stayed at Claridge’s. I knew I had made it. To me, Claridge’s is the most glamourous hotel in the world; I regard it as my home away from home, to me, Claridge's is the most glamorous hotel in the world." She'll lend her expertise to 20 rooms where she'll use her iconic prints, bold colors and original furniture to add her signature style. Don't miss her custom cocktail bar and personal travel photography on the walls. Want to stay at this prestigious address? A weekend indulgence package including a one night stay, a chilled bottle of bubbly and a traditional English breakfast will cost approximately $455---I'm assuming this won't include a newly-appointed DVF room launching this month.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg, Jaunted pulled together a list of 19 designers including Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo and Todd Oldham with hotel design engagements all over the world.

[photo credit: claridge's, gucci ad, DVF]

Trying to Shine, Needs More Polish

[trip style = spa] Sparkling Hill Elegantly sitting on the highest hilltop in Vernon's swanky Predator Ridge community, the recently-opened Sparkling Hill Resort and Spa blends into its environment, as well as stands out from the landscape. Why hide this gem? After all, this $122-million masterpiece was financed by the Swarovski Family, and crystals are meant to stand out and glisten.

Naturally, I couldn't just read about Canada's newest and most talked-about destination, I had to come and experience it for myself. So I did this past weekend for my 6th wedding anniversary, a few weeks after it opened. [more pictures below]

The Vision Versus The Service Every hotel I've been to in the first month of operation---even the big-names resorts who boast the best and brightest staff in the industry---seem to wobble a little before they walk steadily. Such is the case with Sparkling Hill. The incredible vision for this 152-room property is visible in every physical detail, from the 3.5 million crystals (worth $10-million) delicately placed in every---and I mean e-v-e-r-y---detail of the resort, to the West Coast architecture and as-far-as-the-eye-can-see vistas. But when you spend a weekend at Sparkling Hill, you sense a tension between the resort's oasis-like appeal and the eager, yet not-fully-trained staff. The service inconsistencies simply don't match the hotel's grandiose demeanor, nor its inclusion in the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts Group, whose ambition is to be the premier global partner for the world's best hotels and resorts.

Would I Suggest Sparkling Hill? Yes, but wait to visit until the fall of 2010. This will hopefully give them time to bring their service to five-stars. It has a lot of potential, it just needs to mature and realize that potential. Aside from the service, Sparkling Hill's beauty mirroring the region's expansive lakes and mountains will ease you into a serenity now moment. And its healing features will transport you into kid-like wonder and amusement. One afternoon when relaxing in Kurspa's aqua thermal area, I could hear groups of adults giggling as they marveled at the unique series of steam and sauna rooms, and experience showers with a cool-water downpour aptly named thunderstorm, and a balmy sprinkle coined tropical rain.

Wellness...Almost One of Sparkling Hill's major draws is its -110 degree Celsius cold sauna, the first of its kind in North America. In Europe, where the cold sauna concept is widely accepted, waits can be up to a year long. I was looking so forward to experiencing fridgid healing, but there was a problem, the cold sauna is indefinitely closed and I got no further explanation. I hope it re-opens, but in the meantime, Sparkling Hill will have to rely on the grandeur of its 40,000 square foot spa, alternating warm and cool calf-deep Kneipp waterway, indoor and outdoor pools, 100+ treatments and aromatherapy steam and sauna rooms to draw people in.

Over the next few months I hope Sparkling Hill's growing pains will strengthen its already remarkable vision, so its crystals will properly reflect the world-class wellness resort it was meant to be.

Know Before you Go

• Weekend Packages for two start at $790 (oct - jun) and include 2 nights stay in a deluxe suite, dual oasis massages, breakfast and dinner daily, and a welcome beverage at the resort's coffee and wine bar
• Pets are allowed for $25/day, but you'll need to stay in a first-floor standard, mountain view room (with direct access to the outdoors for your furry friend's needs)
• Free parking
• Free Kelowna Airport shuttle service
• Free wifi
• Breakfast included
• Free Aqua-Thermal Saunas (open from 2 - 10pm, 9-10pm is clothing optional)

Other Hints

• The diamond-shaped tub-for-two overlooking Lake Okanagan is perfectly placed in each spacious guestroom
• In the summer, don't try and connect with nature by sleeping with the window open, mosquitoes could be buzzing in your ear all.night.long.
• The robes and spa slippers in each guestroom are plush and useful
• Sadly, the bed linens are rough and need to soften
• There are no coffee makers in the guestrooms
• Guestroom doors aren't very soundproof, as a result, try and select a room away from the elevator
• During the summer, lounging by the outdoor infinity pool is a perfect way to complement a post-spa experience
• The pool loungers are beyond comfortable (adjust height to any angle pneumatically)
• Look out for the plentiful and adorable marmots who scamper around the exterior of the resort
• Take advantage of the extensive walking trails surrounding the resort
• Make sure you follow up with the resort via email once you book to reserve your spa treatments and to make dinner reservations
• Unless something changes, and I hope it does, there's no bellhop or doorman to assist with luggage
• Find more info in my review on Trip Advisor

Pictures sparkling hill's entrance

one of the many crystal chandeliers adorning the space

deluxe, 3rd-floor guestroom

guestroom's diamond-shaped soaker-tub overlooking Lake Okanagan

guestroom's bathroom with crystal feature

guestroom crystal fireplace

view from deluxe 3rd-floor guestroom at sundown

outdoor infinity pool

spa's serenity room

spa's panorama sauna

view from the table at peak fine restaurant

Travel Trend :: Private Travel Sales

[trip style = luxury]

Want to stay here? Me too. Now you can for less. Here's how:

A new breed of elite travel website are making waves with luxury travel enthusiasts faster than you can say: Singapore Airlines First Class. Likened to Travel Sample Sales by Jaunted (the pop culture travel blog), these invitation-only websites are like the country clubs of online travel booking, catering to the elite, or those who want an elite getaway.

How Members-Only Travel Websites Work

• you are invited to join (don't worry, mine got lost in the mail too, but it was found, so now I'm inviting you via the link below)
• deals up to 40% off, or "prices too good to be public" are offered at discerning properties worldwide
• these deals only last for a limited time (usually 5 - 7 days) and are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis
• previews of upcoming hotel deals are sent via email (if that's your preference)

Private Travel Sale Websites jetsetter.com [join here] - Luxury Safari/$1595 per night, Tiamo Resort/Bahamas/$630 per night

vacationist.com [join here] - Furore Inn Resort/Italy/$260 per night, La Amada Resort/Cancun/$90 per night

kayak.com/privatesale [join with a kayak.com account, more info here] - No sales currently offered

Your Take & Mine What do you think about these sites? Are you a member? Have you stayed at any of the properties they offer?  I've already signed up and look forward to finding the perfect luxury trip style when my schedule permits.  The Vacationist's current La Amada Resort offer looks pretty tempting given the hotel's location, decor, free breakfast and wifi, and accolade from Trip Advisor Traveler's Choice Awards as the #1 Spa Hotel in the World. Whether I escape to Mexico or beyond with Jetsetter or Vacationist, stay tuned, I'll be sure to write about it!

[photo credit: vacationist/tiamo resorts]

Big or Boutique Hotels?

[trip style = budget or luxe?]Do you favor big or boutique hotels? I've stayed in and like both. And surprise, surprise, each follows a unique trip style. Here's a quick comparison to help you decide which hotel style is best for you:

Big Hotels - usually win on the "amenities offered" side - offer multi-property loyalty programs, making it easier to collect points and benefits quickly - have varied in-house dining options - most have a pool(s) and a gym - are more likely to offer programs for kids - are large, and as a result, discount rooms on sites like Priceline and Hotwire

Boutique Hotels - offer one-of-a-kind decor - sometimes include breakfast - are more likely to include internet (yay) - can be more personable - are more apt to run promotions like this, recently tweeted by @kimpton: Summer Playground is here! Check into a Kimpton this June and use password "Flip Flops" at check-in for an extra surprise! - offer a more regional or localized approach to service and atmosphere - are easy to find with the StayHIP app

Two Experiences Loving the Boutique Hotel A few years ago my husband and I spent a few days in Miami's South Beach. Instead of paying top-dollar to stay on the ocean-front strip at the Ritz or Loews, we opted to stay 3 blocks from the beach at a recently-renovated boutique hotel called the Greenview. I think we payed about $69/night and had a great (basic) room, wireless and included breakfast.  It didn't have a pool, but who cares, we were close to the beach!

Loving the Big Hotel Earlier this year we stayed in a host of local, boutiquy hotels in Italy. I wouldn't change our experience, but did appreciated our 'big' hotel stay in Venice. After a week of wonderful breakfasts, locally-inspired design and hard-as-a-rock mattresses, we were ready for a plush, soft bed and roof-top pool at the Hilton Molino Stucky.

To Big or to Boutique - get out of your comfort zone, try the option you don't normally choose - if you're a family with young kids, save the boutique hotel for a romantic getaway - if you want a more localized experience, go with boutique - if you're a business traveler, big hotels offer more rewards and incentives - as for price, you can find both for similar price-points depending on what you want

[photos by me]