Why The Greenwich Hotel Should Be High On Your List For Your Next NYC Visit

Last weekend I was lucky enough to stay at the Greenwich hotel in NYC, and I was absolutely blown away.  This boutique hotel truly makes you feel like you have an apartment in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in NYC (Tribeca).  There are many reasons to stay here for your next NYC getaway, and I have listed out my favorite ones below.   Shameless plug before you read on, Nick Running Travel clients get $50 daily towards breakfast, room upgrades if available and $100 in Spa credit to forget about the busy city around you.

Pool built under a Japanese style house

You Feel Like a Local

Many of the popular NYC hotel spots are PACKED with tourists, but not here.  The Greenwich is located in the Tribeca neighborhood, the most expensive housing market in NYC for 2018.  This area is full of cobblestone streets, amazing local restaurants and not a tourist in sight.  You are able to explore the sights during the day, but still return to a relaxing neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle in the evening.

The Drawing Room

The Drawing Room

My favorite part of the hotel was the Drawing Room.  The Drawing room is a lounge/bar/restaurant that is for hotel guests only.  I hate that at many high end hotels the restaurants and bar areas can become packed with locals or those staying at other places nearby, so this was a great solution.  The Drawing even serves hotel guests food from the amazing and hard to get into Italian restaurant next door, Locanda Verde.

Perfect For 2nd or 3rd  time NYC Travelers

By now you have seen everything there is to see in Midtown, gone to a play, eaten at the famous Michelin Stared restaurants and are looking for something a little different.Staying at the Greenwich means you can walk to amazing locals restaurants, visit the high line or art galleries in Chelsea or explore West, Greenwich Village and Soho on foot.This is the perfect spot to explore a little deeper into the NYC you already know.

Site Visits of 6 Riviera Maya Properties

Following my recent visit of the All-Inclusive Grand Velas, I was lucky enough to visit 6 other properties in the Riviera Maya that all offer something completely different for my clients.  I have listed these properties in the order visited and feel they all offer a unique experience that I would recommend to any client.

Viceroy Riviera Maya

The Viceroy is a SUPER boutique property offering only 41 rooms and suites. This is the place to be if you are looking to relax in peace and quite and enjoy your surroundings.  Every room includes a plunge pool and most include and outdoor shower.  I would recommend this location to anyone who is interested in the “jungle” feel of the Riviera Maya as the Ocean and Partial Ocean view rooms are not nearly as private as other room categories.  My favorite are rooms in the jungle as you literally could relax in your room all day without seeing another person.

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

·       Full breakfast daily, for two in room guests

·       $100 USD Equivalent Resort/Hotel credit, to be utilized during stay

·       Early check-in/late check-out , subject to availability

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa

The Belmond is my recommendation for anyone who wants traditional Mexican styling along with a great beachfront. Just like the Viceroy the Belmond is small (63 rooms), however unlike the Viceroy which a majority of the rooms are in the jungle the Belmond is all right along the beautiful Maroma beach.  During my visit the ocean was notably calmer and the beach better than any of the other resorts I visited.  The Ocean View Suits and Junior Suites looked amazing and had a great combination of updated fixtures with Mexican styling. This small resort also allows the surrounding nature to thrive as during my visit a group of monkeys were swinging from treetop to treetop delighting the guests.

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

·       A full breakfast daily for two in-room guests

·       $90 for rooms and $200 for suites hotel credit

·       Maroma floral bed decoration on arrival

·       Early check-in/Late check-out subject to availability

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

Rosewood Mayakoba:

I would classify the Rosewood as a great all-around hotel, especially focused on large private suites with views of the lagoon or jungle.  The Rosewood provides butler service to all rooms, and while at the beginning it was something I didn’t think use, It turned out that they were very helpful.  From planning dinner, coordinating time for turn down and room service to mixing my welcome drink in my room, the butler was amazing and greatly exceeded my expectations.   They truly know your day to day schedule and it showed.  The Rosewood would be my recommendation for anyone looking for an extremely high level of service, multiple dining options and anyone who wants space and privacy.

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

·       Buffet breakfast daily for up to 2 in-room guests

·       $100 USD Equivalent Spa Services credit

·       Welcome tequila amenity

·       Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

Andaz Mayakoba:

The Andaz kept with its traditional minimalist style at their brand new Mayakoba property.  While I didn’t love the Jungle or Lagoon view rooms I felt the beachfront rooms were great, while also being super close to the 2 amazing restaurants near the pool.  I would completely recommend this location to the younger crowd as there seemed to be a very good atmosphere to lounge as well as a great bar area to have drinks into the night.

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade to the next room category on arrival, subject to availability

·       Daily breakfast buffet for two.

·       $100 USD Resort credit, per room, per stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

Banyan Tree Mayakoba:

The Banyan Tree is a very imposing and grand property from the moment you walk into the lobby.  The main lobby area is surrounded by water and in the middle is the famous Banyan Tree.  As imposing as the lobby is though the rest of the resort is very subtle and relaxed.  The resort is done in an Asian styling which may be weird to many guests in Mexico but it is very well done.  I personally loved the private pools (no plunge pools here these things are huge!).  This resort is perfect for those who like the Asian style décor and a swim up pool bar!

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

·       Complimentary International buffet breakfast

·       Resort Credits ranging from USD $100 to USD $200 per villa, per stay (Resort credit amount varies depends on the villa categories)

·       Preferential green fees at El Camaleon Golf Course, a PGA championship course

·       Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

NIZUC Resort and Spa

NIZUC is definitely a unique property.  If you are looking for a sleek, sexy couples hotel this is the spot.  While its larger than many other places on the Riviera Maya, it has a separate adults only pool and restaurant.  I loved the black pools, night lighting and service.  You are never more than a few seconds away from a picture perfect view.  Also, because it is located near Cancun, they also offer guided tours of one of the underwater museums weekly and its only 10 minutes from the airport.  In my opinion this is the perfect hotel to pair with a more jungle themed trip to the Rosewood, Viceroy or Banyan Tree.

Nick Running Travel Perks:

·       Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

·       Daily Breakfast for two

·       One-way airport transfer (valid on arrivals only)

·       Hydrotherapy session for two, once during stay

·       Welcome Amenity in suite: a bottle of tequila and dried fruit

·       Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

·       Complimentary Wi-Fi

Grand Velas, My First Luxury All Inclusive Experience

I’ve always been someone who avoided All-Inclusive resorts, after hearing stories of cheap buffet food, poor service and drunk crowds doing shots, it never seemed like something that would appeal to me.  Thankfully the team at Grand Velas Rivera Maya heard my concerns and decided that I needed to come visit to find out what All-Inclusive could be.  I spent a wonderful long weekend there enjoying all there was to offer, and walked away impressed by three main things;

1.       Food and Drink
One area that most All-Inclusives fall short in, is the quality of food and drinks.  However Grand Velas is different. They take the food and dining options very seriously.  Amazingly, they have 2 AAA 4 Diamond restaurants and 1 AAA 5 Diamond restaurant that are open for dinner, included in the price.  Breakfast was delivered via room service to my room daily, and there was nothing better than enjoying breakfast outside on my deck looking out at the ocean.  Drinks at the bars and restaurants were made with high end liquor, and the wine list was decent.  It was so refreshing to never see a price, yet still know that I was getting a quality product.

2.       Hotel Grounds
Grand Velas Rivera Maya is practically 3 hotels in one.  There are 3 completely different areas, all connected via shuttles and all provide completely different experiences.  Ambassador Class is the family area, near the beach and with large kid friendly rooms and a giant resort pool where the whole family can play.  Grand Class is 100% beachfront rooms with plunge pools, a quiet pool with a swim up bar and is closest to the AAA 4 and 5 star dining options. Finally Zen Class is located in the jungle and includes an amazing calm and relaxing pool away from the crowds. 

3.       Rooms
I stayed in the Grand Class area and my room was huge with over 1,000 SF of useable area.  I had an amazing plunge pool that allowed me to watch the ocean from the privacy of my deck.  During my stay I also got to check out rooms from the Zen and Ambassador Class, and while different, they all offered amazing space (over 1,000 SF) and fit the environment perfectly.  Even though the Zen rooms were not on the water, the plunge pools overlooking the jungle seemed like the perfect location to relax.

After returning from this trip I can recommend Grand Velas to my clients without hesitation.  I feel this resort is best suited for families, couples or groups who care about having great food while enjoying the stress free environment that comes with All Inclusive resorts.  Best of all, Nick Running Travel clients receive upgrade on arrival, if available, complementary one way airport transfer, $100 Spa Credit and a bottle of Mezcal in your room on arrival.  

Site Visit of Two Wailea Hotels

I was lucky enough to spend four days in Maui at the beginning of May, which allowed me to get in depth looks at two different hotels.  We stayed at the Andaz Maui, and did a site visit and dinner at the Four Seasons Maui just down the road.  Make sure you read below for my recommendations for each, as these hotels will be attractive to different clients depending on preferences.

Andaz Maui

Beautiful entrace to the Andaz

View from the Ocean-view Room 

The Andaz has a beautiful entrance with water on both sides and views of the Pacific Ocean and palm trees in the distance through the lobby.  This hotel like most other Andaz’s are more minimalist in their design.  I definitely wouldn’t call the decorations warm and welcoming, but more functional and modern.  There are 3 levels of infinity pools all with seating and pool side service and I must say the views from these pools are spectacular!  You can swim up to the edge, look down on the pool below and the ocean in the distance.  The resort has slightly less than 300 rooms including the separate villas, which I didn’t get to see as they were fully booked.   You can definitely tell this is a smaller and more relaxed property compared to many on this stretch of coast and is great for people wanting to escape the crowds.

I was able to look at two rooms, an Ocean View King and, our room, the Deluxe Ocean View Suite.  Non-suite rooms are pretty small, approx. 380-400 SF. The ocean view from the room had a great vantage of the water, but I couldn’t help feeling a little cramped by the size of the room.  I would definitely recommend these rooms to people who planned on spending most of their time at the pool or out and about. The Deluxe Suite was the closest room possible to the ocean and had expansive views of the ocean and the west side of Maui.  The bathroom was very large and well done. Overall I would definitely recommend the suite level rooms for most clients, it has much more space and the bathroom and closet area was almost twice the size.

Bathroom of the Deluxe Suite

View from the Deluxe Suite

Recommend Andaz For: Younger couples and groups, Those who like modern design, Want a less busy property.

As a Hyatt preferred partner clients of Nick Running Travel get room upgrades, free breakfast for 2 daily, $100 property credit and more.

Four Seasons Maui

Adults only pool at the Four Seasons 

Living room of the Ocean View Suite 

The Four Seasons is Maui’s grand dame hotel. It’s strikingly bigger than the Andaz and also much more grand.  The décor is very warm, welcoming and a stark contrast from the minimalist and modern vibe of the Andaz.  The Four Seasons only has approximately 100 more rooms and suits than the Andaz but is much busier.  This hotel definitely brings in people who are not guests for drinks and dinner.  This is the place to be seen and people watch.  For those who prefer to escape but prefer the Four Seasons, I was able to take a look at the 8th floor club lounge which is exclusive to the rooms on that floor.  This was definitely quiet during my visit and a great place to have a complementary drink and read a book on the deck overlooking the ocean.  Another selling point for the Four Seasons is the amazing kids for all seasons program. This makes the Four Seasons perfect for families, and the best part is its all included in the room rate, no resort fees!

During my visit I inspected a Partial Ocean View room and a Prime Oceanview Suite. The non-suite rooms here are huge at over 600 SF, with large bathrooms and decks.  The Four Seasons recently went through a refurbishment and I have to say, I love the décor of the rooms.  The Four Seasons would definitely be my recommendation for those who plan on just staying in non-suite rooms. The Prime Ocean View Suite was spectacular with two full size separate rooms and balcony’s (including 2 different entrances).  The living area also has a pull out couch for those with kids so that parents have a separate sleeping space. Overall the two rooms I looked at were beautiful and definitely deserving of the higher price tag that the Four Seasons requires.

Deck off the garden view room

Bedroom of the Ocean View Suite

Recommend Four Seasons for: Families with children, Clients who want the best, People who enjoy being at the “hot” place.

As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner clients of Nick Running Travel get access to special perks that can’t be found anywhere else.  We aren’t allowed to share these publicly but reach out to us via email and we can share the specific amenities for this property.

Site Visit: Terranea Resort

from www.terranea.com

Last week I had the opportunity to stay at Terranea Resort. This resort is located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, one of Southern California’s most scenic and coveted coastlines overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. The 102-acre estate features 582 guestrooms and suites, including spacious bungalows, casitas and villas.  The resort has a casual Californian vibe with Mediterranean styling. The hotel features multiple dining venues from casual to high end and an ocean front bar.  There is even a 9 hole par 3 golf course. The hotel has multiple pools each with a great view of the ocean from the cliff-side. 

The service level here is very high. For example, all guests checking in receive a complementary glass of sparkling wine.  The hotel was well staffed to provide a high level of service for all guests. My guest room was nicely decorated with a large TV, balcony, and a large bathroom with separate shower and tub.  One negative was there was only 1 sink in the bathroom and a limited amount of counter space. 

Both the positive and the drawback of this hotel is the location.  It is about 30 minutes from the highway, with lots of traffic lights so staying here while trying to explore the LA area is difficult. By contrast, because it’s very secluded it makes a great getaway.  I would recommend this hotel to anyone trying to stay in the Palos Verdes area, to get away from the hustle and bustle of LA or play the beautiful Donald Trump golf course which is 5 minutes down the road.  For people looking to get out and explore LA or the OC but looking for beach time, I think you would be better served staying in Santa Monica or Laguna Beach.

By booking the Terranea Resort with Nick Running Travel, clients receive free breakfast daily, room upgrade on arrival if available, $100 Resort credit, free Wi-Fi and more.  For a limited time we also can offer the following promotions:

July 4th Special:
Stay at least 2 nights during the 4th of July holiday and receive an extra $100 credit for rooms and $200 credit for suites.  NOTE: To qualify you must stay the night of July 4th. 

Summer Escape:
For travel until September 3, 2018 receive 25% off normal nightly rates.