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Holiday Cheer in Toronto—A Return to Luxury

On the heels of Toronto’s architectural achievements came a slew of high-end hoteliers. In February 2011, the Ritz-Carlton opened its first property in Canada, a 53-story high-rise overlooking the CN Tower in the entertainment district. This past January, the $500 million Trump Tower was unveiled. In September, Shangri-La, the Asian-based luxury hotel group, opened its second hotel in North America. And last, but certainly not least, the Four Seasons just debuted their new flagship property in one of the liveliest sections of town, Yorkville. 
 
The demand is obviously here, with Tourism Toronto reporting a banner year in 2011, with more than 9 million hotel rooms sold. But what I love about each one of these properties is their utter lack of pretension (c’mon, this is Canada), excellent service, and unique features. The Ritz-Carlton offers diners at the restaurant, Toca, a chance to visit the cheese cave and sample more than 200 cheeses. Also those hand-painted plates, which pay homage to the Toronto International Film Festival and the Canadian landscape, were created by one of the servers. At Trump’s expansion of the Quartz Crystal Spa, you’ll find a heated saltwater lap pool. The most welcoming lobby is at the Shangri-La, where you can recline on a cushiony couch in front of the fireplace. Then there’s the Four Seasons, whose properties I’ve always cherished simply because their fitness rooms and men’s spa were light years ahead of the competition. At Four Seasons Toronto, they have equipped their treadmills, elliptical machines, and bikes with a Virtual Active by Matrix. It’s basically a virtual reality system where you can choose to take a run through the streets of Chicago, the lush interior of Hawaii, or in the Swiss Alps. It’s already been filmed! Forget the Duck Egg dish at the new Café Boulud (which was delicious, by the way), I’d return to Four Seasons Toronto solely for the chance to sweat all over the world. 
 

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New Pod Hotel to Open in Manhattan in June

I just got word that a second pod hotel, The Pod 39 Hotel, will be opening in the Murray Hill section of the city in June. The 367-room hotel will be located in a 17-story building at 145 East 39th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues. I stayed in the first Pod Hotel on East 51st Street after it opened and, while I thought the space was adequate even at a meager 60 to 120 feet, I was woken up in the middle of the night by all the people coming and going to the shared bathroom. Pod 39 will remedy that problem by having private bathrooms in all guestrooms. The $119 starting rate will also offer guests access to the rooftop lounge and use of the mounted iPads in the lobby. A projection wall of guest photography will also be showcased in the lobby. Rooms feature a bed, flat-screen television, desk, drawers, and bathroom, and very little space for anything else. But c’mon, we’re talking Manhattan. How much time do you really want to spend in your room besides sleeping? For single travelers and couples, it’s a great deal. The owners also have plans to expand to Boston, Chicago, Philly and DC. 

 
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Bermuda’s Pink Sale Offer’s 50% Off Room Rates

Need to get away? If you live in the Midwest or East Coast and just endured temps in the single digits, I would say you’re due. You might want to know about Bermuda’s Pink Sale, where 15 hotels on island are offering a 50% discount. Book from today through January 28 for hotels stays until April 30, 2015. Bermuda has a reputation of being cold in the winter months, but average highs in Jan and Feb are 68 degrees, with temps moving up to 70 and 73 in March and April, respectively. Flights are direct and only 2 hours from New York, Boston, and DC. If you need suggestions on what to do while you’re there, check out my Boston Globe story. 

 
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WOW, Who Knew?

Guest Post by Amy Perry Basseches
 
It’s hard to believe I’m writing a blog praising an airline. Usually flights are the worst part of my travel adventures. They cost a lot, take a long time, are often delayed and connections missed, offer bad food and service, have cramped seating, and (insert your own complaint here). But WOW Air is an Icelandic company you should check out when next flying from the US or Canada to Europe. My family has used them at least twice, due to cost reasons (they were much cheaper!): once from Boston to Paris, and once from Toronto to Berlin. Both times, all flights went without a hitch. WOW’s base is in Reykjavik, which has got to be one of the easiest and nicest airports to navigate and make connections from. Nearly all of the flights land and depart on time. Sure, WOW is “no frills” (you pay for everything as an add-on), but we purchased extra legroom seats on our Berlin trip and were perfectly comfortable. Tip: pre-buy your meal online; it then comes with wine/beer and a bottle of water (versus paying for the water on board). Currently, WOW operates to a total of 38 destinations in Europe, the US, Canada, and the Middle East. They also offer a “stopover” option if you want to stay in Iceland for a few days before returning home. Let ActiveTravels know if you are interested in visiting Iceland, or anywhere WOW flies. 
 
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Circumnavigating Newfoundland with Adventure Canada

Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches

I’ve taken three journeys on Expedition Cruises-aboard smaller ships where passengers spend loads of time in zodiacs going ashore to hike, kayak, observe flora/fauna, and visit towns. These trips all have been fantastic opportunities to see places one could never glimpse if traveling only by land. Often, experts from the region join these Expedition Cruises as short-term "staff" to add a special insider touch. This week, I’m sharing with ActiveTravels readers my most recent voyage, on Adventure Canada’s Newfoundland Circumnavigation. 

Adventure Canada’s staff for the trip included a dozen Newfoundland natives: musicians, singers, artists, authors, whale experts, historians, archaeologists, geologists, photographers, park rangers, and chefs. I can’t say enough about how much their presence enhanced the experience. For example, the renowned Alan Doyle, a Member of the Order of Canada ("for his contributions to the musical traditions of his home province") toured with us, and what a treat! His music every day and night kept us smiling (see him in the US this November). 
 
We started and ended in the historic harbor of St. John’s, Newfoundland. During the 9 days in between, I had a great time experiencing a lively culture with breathtaking scenery, and lots of time outdoors to explore. Upcoming blogs will discuss the UNESCO sites and communities we visited along the way, highlighting extremely special and authentic experiences.
 
Before boarding Adventure Canada’s vessel in St. John’s, one of North America’s oldest European settlements, I walked to The Rooms, Newfoundland’s largest public cultural space "where the province’s most extensive collection of artifacts, art and historical records come together." There I learned an important fact that would emerge often during the trip: immigration from Ireland started early, in the late 1600s, and a large percentage of the province’s current population has Irish roots. Newfoundland even has a Gaelic name, Talamh an Éisc. 
 
If expedition cruising sounds appealing to you, let ActiveTravels know. I am strongly considering roaming the "Heart of the Arctic" in the summer of 2020. Want to join me, along with local scientists, historians, Inuit artists, and culturalists? We’ll see the province of Nunavut, Baffin Island, Nunavik (the Inuit homeland in Northern Quebec), Ungava Bay, and Greenland (including Nuuk, the capital). If it’s similar to my journey around Newfoundland, I know it will inspire and create lasting memories. 
 
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Say No to SeaWorld

Several years ago, I wrote a story about taking the family on a road trip along the California coast. The trip started in San Diego, where we had the pleasure to “Dine with Shamu” at SeaWorld. My kids were amazed as we had dinner watching an orca whale doing backflips right behind us. So it came as a shock when I recently read that one of my mentors in this travel writing business, Arthur Frommer, wrote, “I am ashamed. I will no longer recommend that tourists patronize the various SeaWorld parks.” In the wake of the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, Frommer received a letter from PETA’s Debbie Leahy, an expert on captive animal issues. In the letter, Leahy noted that 21 orcas have died in U.S. SeaWorld facilities between 1986 and 2008, and not one from old age. They died from severe trauma, intestinal gangrene, acute hemorrhagic pneumonia, pulmonary abscesses, chronic kidney disease, chronic cardiovascular failure, septicemia, and influenza. She also mentioned that SeaWorld has been responsible for the deaths of numerous dolphins, including three who died last year at SeaWorld Discovery Cove in less than three weeks time.

I’m paid to write travel stories, but some times I’m simply used as a pawn so companies like SeaWorld can make a large profit. I’m reminded of a hotel in Bali that had a spectacular beach. When I learned that the hotel had crushed the coral reef to bring in their sand, I was irate. As I grow older, I get wiser and try to dig deeper so that I’m convinced that what I’m promoting is ethical. Now and again, you make a mistake, but at least I’m not the only travel writer.

I’m leaving for Kenya on Sunday on a 12-day jaunt to pen stories for five publications. Next week, I’ll share those story ideas with you. The following week, I won’t be blogging. As always, thanks for checking in!
 

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A Favorite Bike Ride on Cape Cod

Cape Cod is so close to Boston that I often drive there on a day trip, which is exactly what I plan to do a week from today with the family. This is the ride we usually do. We start on Main Street in Orleans in the lot next to Orleans Cycle and head out on the Cape Cod Rail Trail toward Eastham. Soon we pass the velvety marsh, where red-winged blackbirds sit atop the swaying cattails and cormorants dry their wings on floating docks. At Locust Road, we veer right off the CCRT and cross over Route 6 to reach the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitor Center. This is the start of a 2-mile bike trails that sweeps up and down through the forest and marsh, leaving you off at Coast Guard Beach, recently named one of the top 10 beaches in America. However, I think the beach up the road, Nauset Light, is more scenic, backed by towering dunes. We lock up our bikes and walk down the stairs to relax and go for a dip. 
 
Once back on the bikes, we take Cable Road past Three Sisters Lighthouses, three absurdly small lighthouses built in the mid-19th century. A left turn at the end of the road and a right turn on Brackett Road leads us back to the CCRT. Turn left towards Orleans and you’ll soon smell the fried clams of Arnold’s, a lobster-in-the-rough restaurant beloved by my family. Stand in the long line (most likely out the door), order from their vast selection of seafood, including lobster, fried clams, scallops, shrimp, and mounds of tender onion rings and grab a seat at one of the outdoor picnic tables. Afterwards, play a round of miniature golf or grab a brownie sundae. Continue on the CCRT through a tunnel and you’ll arrive back at the Orleans Cycle parking lot in less than 30 minutes. A perfect summer outing. 
 
Nauset Lighthouse, Cape Cod 

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