Amedama on the Go Go

Taj Mahal Palace

India is not an easy place to travel in.  It's hot, noisy, the traffic is unbelievable, and the constant stream of people wanting to guide you, trick you, sell something, or beg money is unrelenting.  But on the other hand, India has some of the most beautiful hotels I've ever had the pleasure to stay at.  It's a good thing too, because when travelling in India you need an oasis where you can recharge, rest, and relax in order to get ready to go out and once again face the challenges of India's cities.

Our first few nights in Mumbai, we stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace.  The hotel is a tourist destination in and of itself.  Situated right beside the Gateway of India, the hotel is an architectural treasure dating back to 1903. 

Ku Damm 101 vs Marriott

One of the nicest things about Berlin is how affordable the city is compared to most other cities in Europe.  Even for a visitor the hotels are very reasonably priced.  You can go for dirt cheap budget stays all the way up the scale to the Adalon or Hotel de Rome, or even the Schlosshotel vier Jahreszeiten. 

I usually go midmarket, I like comfort, I like amenities, a gym and/or pool is nice, and if they have a spa that's a plus for me.  Also, for a short city stay, I don't like to break the bank.

This time around we decided to stay at Ku damm 101.  I didn't really do much research.  I had read a couple of recommendations of it as a design hotel and then did a cursory glance at tripadvisor and Ku damm's website and we booked. 

The Scotsman

Over the weekend in Edinburgh we stayed at The Scotsman.  Its one of the cities top hotels in a great location (on North Bridge) and a beautiful historic building.  The Scotsman used to be home to the city's newspaper and it evokes the same kind of gothic feeling that the rest of old Edinburgh does.

Beaver Creek Bachelor's Gulch

Over on the right side of the Beaver Creek resort are a series of runs that are a powder playground.  They are the runs surrounding the Bachelor's Gulch Express Lift called Sawbuck, Gunder's, and Cabin Fever.  I don't know why it is, maybe the wind continually blows the powder from the top of the mountain into that corner of the resort but playing on those lovely blues and greens made for another magnificent day.

The Royalton

Midway through my stay in New York I changed hotels to The Royalton.  Nothing wrong with the Millenium UN Plaza but its not on my company's approved list of hotels and half of my trip to New York was work related.

I like The Royalton and have stayed there quite a few times when I've come into New York for work.  The rooms are comfortable and a decent size and the service is pretty good.  They also have a 24 hour gym and the lounge in the lobby is great for casual meetings.  The location in midtown is very convenient.

   

I love the white palette decor.  Very soothing.  Exactly what you need after long days of meetings in New York.

This particular room also had a tiny room just before the shower that was entirely mirorred and bizarrely, held an exercise bike.  For someone who likes to workout on an exercise bike, that room is probably very convenient but they also better not be claustrophobic.  I used the room to put my makeup on, all those mirrors and the bright light came in very handy.

The Royalton, 44 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036 (between 5th and 6th ave), (212) 869-4400

Firenze IV

If you should find yourself dragging your heels as you approach Ponte Vecchio (because you've followed my advice and wandered all the streets of central Florence by foot) then you must pop into the Hotel Lungarno Continentale  for a drink.  In fact, even if you are pretty spritely, you'll still want to stop by.  It's directly across from the famous bridge and manages to be seriously cool and an oasis of calm (its part of the Ferragamo group).

What could this be a picture of?

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