Also great for a wedding celebration!!
Yoga Pavillion Amanoi – Vietnam
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Also great for a wedding celebration!!
Author Archives: Catherine Whitworth
Plunge Pool at Villa 2 Amanoi -Vietnam
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Corner Dining Amanoi – Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Corner Dining
Villa 2 Amanoi- Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
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Aman heaven again- Amanoi Vinh Hy, Vietnam
Aman heaven again. And you will be too!
Aman is a Sanskrit-derived word for peace and Noi means “place”
This property personifies that ethic.
With the launch of Amanoi, Amanresorts adds Vietnam to its Southeast Asian circuit, with Amanpuri in Thailand, Amantaka in Laos and Amansara in Cambodia already on everyone’s must travel list
Impossible to describe the serenity, sense of place, and spectacular decor.
A fabulous spot to wind down after a tour of SE Asia, Amanoi is perfect for a honeymoon and divine for a destination wedding.
The designer, Jean-Michel Gathy also did the spectacular Amanyara in Turks &Caicos
Not a “palm tree” resort. Amanoi is set on the coast in beautiful Vinh Hy Bay in the middle of the Nui Chua National park. Vegetation is subtropical, and incredible rock formations are everywhere. There is a wonderful beach with unusual shells and a darling fishing village on the other side of Vinh Hy bay. Landing in Na Trang, the drive is about an hour and 15minutes on an amazing coastal drive. The good news is that the car has WIFI so you can catch up on emails or track your progress on google maps.
Food was fabulous. Beef was flown in from Australia, all vegetables and fruits are local and organic, seafood was right out of the local waters. Couldn’t be more fresh.
I want to move into our villa- it is that comfortable. The beyond fab Spa has the only Pilates equipment and set up in Vietnam. They also boast hydrotherapy equipment.
Sea View Villa – Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam
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Our view from the Nam Hai – Hoi An Vietnam
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Main Lodge- Nam Hai, Hoi An Vietnam
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Nam Hai- Hoi An Vietnam
Some of the best food we encountered was in Vietnam. Fresh and vibrant. one of the best restaurants was at the Nam Hai. Near Danang, an elegant, glamorous addition to the middle coast of Vietnam. Gorgeous pool and public areas! Service was wonderful.
Beware if you are not happy with lots of steps. The elegant villa is set as rectangle facing the sea- with a step down from the entry area, a step down beside the bed then another step to the living room. steps are lit but you want to be cautious.
Innovative and beautiful. It is the place to be in Hoi An Vietnam.
Hong Kong Skyline
Impossible to capture the magic of Hong Kong in lights. You have to see it for yourself!
Upper House Harbor View
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Cool Hotel in Hong Kong- Upper House
Upper House – COOL hotel in Hong Kong Central.
There is a special type of client looking for cool new slick spaces – You know who you are.
Upper House is going to fill the bill in Hong Kong. Minimal, contemporary, intime and totally cool.
Three room types: Peak view 70 CM/Harbor view 70CM and harbor or peak view suite 80CM
A great addition to the services of Upper House is that they allow early arrivals. So if your flight arrives in the morning, they will move you right into your room. They check you in there. No lines -No waiting. 
Upper House’s restaurant is Café Gray Deluxe, a 21st century ‘grand café’, located on the 49th floor overlooking Victoria Harbor, marks the return to Hong Kong of Chef Gray Kunz and his cuisine – a unique style of European classics and signature dishes from a lifetime leading the very finest kitchens in Europe, Asia and America.
Hotel facts:
The hotel’s 117 rooms (including 21 suites and 2 penthouses) start at 730sq ft – the largest in Hong Kong. They feature wonderfully spacious bathrooms and dressing areas, and offer either scenic harbor or island views. Calming and contemporary, the rooms are designed to provide a sense of relaxation, warmth and understated luxury. Room features Luxury down bedding Complimentary in-room bar Dual temperature wine fridge Complimentary espresso machine and selection of teas and infusions LCD TV with 2.1 surround sound with simple connectivity for PC, camcorder and MP3 Interactive hotel information, music and games via in room iTouch Complimentary wired and wireless high speed internet access Spacious bathrooms with TV, dressing area, walk-in rain shower and limestone clad bath
Chi Lin Gardens -Hong Kong
We are looking for new sites in Hong Kong and my friend Devin suggested we see Chi Lin Nunnery and Gardens. Just opened a year ago, the gardens are a beautiful depiction of a Tang Dynasty garden and has amazing replicas of Tang Dynasty structures, built in teak wood. A beautiful oasis smack in the middle of Kowloon. If you are in Hong Kong, you should add it to your list.
Ode to Devin Gwie
A Tour Guide professional for over 20 years. Devin has personal connections in every city and country in SE Asia. He knows every top restaurant, hotel, hidden shops you might want to know about, the best tailors, jewelry makers, pearl sources, who is reputable, etc,etc,etc. He can untangle any red tape, get you Into to places you can’t, handle high maintenance clients from famous entertainers, to the wife of presidents, to royalty -in a word the man to know in SE Asia. And he is exceptional with groups. The ultimate professional, with a wonderful sense of humor – my favorite guide, Devin Gwie.
Spectacular FS Club Lounge – Hong Kong
Situated on the top floor of FS Hong Kong, the Club lounge serves breakfast privately in the morning and drinks and snacks/drinks all day. Complimentary to all suites.
Pool – Four Seasons Hong Kong
One of the two pools at Four Seasons. I noticed they have special bathrobes for children – darling. Overlooking Hong Kong Bay
Four Seasons Hong Kong – one of the Best!
View from my room
Four Seasons Hong Kong
Opened in 2009 with not one but two Michelin rated restaurants, the Four Seasons Hong Kong lives up to it’s impeccable reputation. An example of attention to detail: we arrived at midnight and found in our room a mound of finger sandwiches with a card saying “in anticipation of your late arrival we prepared a light snack for you”. I left my camera on the desk and when I returned, the cleaning service had left a packed lense cleaning cloth. Everyone seemed to know our name. Adapters in each nightstand. Little details that mount to flawless service. At 399 rooms, 54 of them suites, the hotel did not come off as a large hotel, there was a sense of space and peace. Located on the Central side of HKG the location was convenient and easy to reach for walking. We sampled their amazing Cantonese Restaurant, Lung King Heen and agreed it deserved it’s stars. The hotel has 2 pools and a club level on the top(45th) floor- Club lounge is open to all who book a suite.
Dispatch Hong Kong
Peking Garden Hong Kong
Back in one of my favorite cities: the divine Hong Kong. Ever changing, the city seems to be thriving- cranes and bamboo scaffolding everywhere. Still retaining it’s soul of exotic British outpost, it is delightful to be poking into my old haunts. I am checking out the fabulous Four Seasons Hong Kong. I also visited the spectacular Upper House. Reviews to follow.
Dock entry to LPI- a little bit of heaven
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Situated on 5.5 Acres of private island, in the lower Florida Keys. It is about 40 minutes from Key West Airport. You are taken to their main admission Lodge, then transferred by boat to the Island. It is a favored enclave for luxury travelers. 15 thatched roof bungalows, featuring 30 suites-ranging from 550 SF to 1000SF -offer ultimate privacy and romance. The island is never inhabited by more than 60 guests.
View from Little Palm Island
Sunsets from the Keys are dynamite!
Sitting at the bar with a nice glass of champagne- ahhhh…
Another Small Resort Gem- Little Palm Island
Easy jump to paradise
The flight from Atlanta took an hour and a half. Poof! Before I knew it, I had landed in another bit of paradise. Tropical bungalows, recently updated with a Caribbean Colonial feel- lots of shutters – were a haven. Breezes blowing, palm fronds moving gently in the wind, I couldn’t believe how quickly one could just stop, kick back and relax.
Spaghetti with Pomodoro Sauce – just like my Sicilian Grandmother’s
There is no denying that the cuisine of Dubrovnik is heavily influenced by their Italian neighbors across the Adriatic. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of Croatian cuisine. A beautiful influence of Italian mixed with their proximity to the sea makes for a high level of quality and innovative offerings.
Two of Pucic Palace’s fine staff, Sanja and Nermin. The tone is set by their terrific manager Mirjana Kovacevic and all members of the staff I came in contact with were above par. From darling Pia the guest relations manager, Alem the day duty receptionist, Zrinka the night duty receptionist, and Stribor the guest doorman. Enthusiastic, engaged and always helpful. They made my stay a memorable experience, and I want to visit again.
View from my window – Pucic Palace, Dubrovnik Croatia
Set in the middle of Old Town Dubrovnik, Pucic Palace is a little gem. They have 19 rooms and suites decorated in a traditional style. A divine restaurant provides an imaginative menu and wine list with both indoor and outside seating.
Old Town Dubrovnik
Perfect place for a special celebrations, family travel or destination weddings. The city lends itself to easy planning. Hotels are accommodating, food is very special and the location is captivating.
Venice? No Dubrovnik, Yes!
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Perfect location setting for the HBO series Game of Thrones, 6th Century Dubrovnik is a delightful surprise.
Dubrovnik bears a striking resemblance to it’s neighbor, Venice. Ideally placed on the Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik is a beautiful stone village. The old town is set inside a fort wall that is one and a half miles around. You can walk the entire wall.
Great place for a birthday! Dubrovnik- gorgeous!!
Agrigento
Modern Agrigento used to be the Greek city of Akragas, a colony of settlers mainly from Rhodes and Crete who, having initially settled in Gela, decided to move west, partly because the land in the area was ideal for cultivating olives, and grapes. The city, founded in 582 BC, soon became prosperous and, in its glory days, was one of the most important and most culturally-advanced Greek cities in the Mediterranean. Considered the 4th largest city in the ancient world.
Agrigento
Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., Agrigento became one of the leading cities in the Mediterranean world.
Sites to Visit near Verdura in Sicily
What a thrill to see!! Spotless site, beautifully cared for.
Traveling with Children?
Rocco Forte Verdura Resort hosts a Junior Soccer Camp.
Coaches from the prestigious Juventus Football Club– part of Italy’s top-flight first division, two-time winners of the Champions League, and arguably one of the best professional soccer teams in the world– have taken up summer residence at the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort in Sicily. Offered during the summer, the coaches will offer daily training sessions for young guests (5 to 16 years of age) to hone their soccer moves. Not only that, but matches take place at the resort, every five or seven days. Families are offered second rooms for half price to accommodate their families. They also offer junior golf instruction. Rocco Forte Verdura is extremely family friendly.
Part of our group in Sicily
Fab group!!
Theresa and Ellen. Loved spending time with them.
Ocean View Suites at Verdura- Sicily
One could ride a bike in the room- huge!
40sm with a living room, separate bedroom, a bathroom with a tub I could swim in, a terrace, a patio, my view was the ocean with golfers playing the 12th green. I am ready to move in!!
Tomatoes from the Verdura Garden
Used making a sauce in cooking class – indescribable
Everything cooked at Verdura is Garden to Table. The freshest and most flavorful I have ever had the pleasure to taste.
In our cooking class we made a pasta dish with tomatoes and eggplant. Lots of champagne, we were hands on!
Our Host at Verdura- Angelo Piraino
Aptly named, with a face like an angel.
Wow, Wow, Wow! Rocco Forte Verdura Golf Resort and Spa
Palms by the Ocean
The resort is set over 500 acres of stunning landscape with 1.8km of private coastline, yet has just 203 rooms and suites, giving a true sense of space and privacy. All rooms have private terraces and sea views. There are two 18-hole championship golf courses and a 9-hole, designed by leading architect Kyle Phillips; six tennis courts; a full- size football pitch; a 60m infinity swimming pool; a fully-equipped gym and running trails which meander through the olive and lemon groves.The resort’s restaurants and bars celebrate Sicilian cuisine with menus created from fresh organic ingredients complemented by a superb wine list. With its beautiful location on Sicilys southern coast and unique range of five-star facilities, Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is a very special venue for meetings, conferences and incentive programs.
Doorway Sciacca
Such a beautiful village.
Sunset Sciacca
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A First Visit to My Family’s Village in Sicily – Amazing!!!
I had the distinct privilege of being invited to visit the spectacular Rocco Forte resort, Verdura, in Sicily. Homeland to my maternal grandparents; my grandfather was from Palermo and serendipitously, my grandmother’s village, Sciacca, is 2 kilometers from Verdura Resort. Words cannot describe the feeling of walking down the street of my Grandmother’s village. Her name was Caterina Friscia; she married Salvatore Pipitone. I went to Mass in her Basilica, I watched the sunset over her harbor- fishing boats all tucked in for the night. I followed the path to her house. I walked in her footsteps. A deeply moving, very special experience- impossible to put into words.
I even found the statue of a distant relation, Saverio Friscia, in a beautiful palm filled piazza by the harbor
Sciacca Sicily
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My Grandmother’s Basicilca Sciacca Sicily
Sciacca Sicily
Entry- Nijinsky Suite Hotel de Russie
The Terrace is enormous with panoramic views of Rome.
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Spectacular Dinner
Cuisine in Italy is on a level above anything in the world.
Only using the freshest and most colorful ingredients, food is the ultimate highlight at Hotel De Russie.
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Suite Bath – Hotel De Russie Rome
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Lobby Art Hotel de Russie – Rome
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Dispatches from the Road 