If you have ever seen a picture of Cascais, Portugal there is a high degree of likelihood it has been of the blue, white and red Santa Marta lighthouse that sits on the edge of the Atlantic ocean at the estuary of the River Tagus. Capturing that image alone is enough to entice many to this inviting seaside destination a mere twenty minutes outside of Lisbon. However, this beach town and its environs are so much more than this single photogenic memento.

The lighthouse-inn sits majestically on the highest point of the Pot à l'Eau-de-Vie (Brandy Pot) Island located off the shore of Rivière-du-Loup in the Lower Saint Lawrence region of Quebec | Photo: Nicolas Gagnon. I never knew that a dream of mine was to stay overnight in a 19th-century lighthouse until my friend, Alexander Reford, of the Reford Gardens/Les Jardins de Metis, told me that such an adventure was indeed possible off the coast of Rivière-du-Loup in the Lower Saint Lawrence region.

While taking a five-and-a-half-hour flight in order to enjoy a long weekend in Vancouver might seem like a bit of a hike, I can attest that, with the right amount of planning, it can be a perfect amount of time to get a good feel for the city. And it was. Certainly, it helps if you choose a hotel that also features one of the city’s busiest and tastiest restaurants.

Admittedly, I am one of the last travel writers to discover Europe; so imagine my pleasure as I was first whisked down the grand avenues from the Barcelona airport to my hotel on ‘La Rambla’. I immediately called out to the Uber driver, “Barcelona! Where have you been all of my life?”

The province of Quebec certainly has no shortage of fabulous spas, some of which have been around for decades, but very few of them are nestled into the side of a forest (Manoir Hovey sits on 30 acres of nature) and, one could argue, that none offer the view of a lake that this one does of Lake Massawippi. Le Spa Hovey Manoir, like its hotel, now finds itself in a category all of its own.

Porto: This is a city full of surprises: Tramcars, bridges, riverside cafes and restaurants, port cellars, Art Deco, and a bookstore that inspired the Harry Potter phenomenon: the works!

Is it my imagination or is everyone talking about Lisbon these days? It seems that just overnight that this Portuguese capital is the one destination that is suddenly on everyone’s travel list. In fact, Lisbon was voted “best city destination” by TRAVELBOOK in 2022 partly based on sustainability, cleanliness and safety beating out such heavyweights as New York City, Barcelona, Singapore and Dubai. A quick tour through some of the trends driving this surging popularity will surely pique your interest as well.

✨This is an article that was written for a German-based hospitality magazine called FIZZZ. The English version can be found in my BLOG section as well as the original version (in Germain) by clicking Read More

As nice as the Brown’s Central was, I was not in town to hang around the hotel so I soon ventured out into the city. One of the main advantages of the Brown’s hotels is their location. While “central” Lisbon is used to a district known to be inundated with derelict and abandoned buildings, it has since evolved into one of the most popular areas of the city. Just a few blocks over from Brown’s Central I found myself on Rua Augusta which is a pedestrian mall lined with popular boutiques along with enticing pastry shops and restaurants. goes here

As a Montrealer, your first hint that there is something remarkably familiar about New Orleans is the number of fleur de lys that are ubiquitous. In fact, the city’s favourite professional sports team, the Saints-who play football in the National Football League – have a fleur de lys as their team logo! The fleur de lys is a proud symbol of the city’s origins as it emblazoned the flag of the French explorers whom discovered the city as Nouvelle Orleans in 1717. In 2008, the governor of Louisiana passed a law making the fleur de lys the state’s official symbol.

Pop quiz. When you think of Toronto what quickly comes to mind?

The CN Tower? Drake? Snow? Hockey?

While all of these images are certainly accurate, Toronto has become much more than a sum of its clichés. In fact, not only is Toronto Canada’s economic epicentre with a current yet growing population of 6.3 million, it is also becoming a hospitality juggernaut with the sector on a meteoric tear goes here

✨This is an article that was written for a German-based hospitality magazine called FIZZZ. The English version can be found in my BLOG section as well as the original version (in Germain) by clicking Read More.

There can be a variety of reasons that you may find yourself headed to Calgary for a long weekend such as visiting friends or family; a jumping off location for a few days skiing in the Rockies; business meetings; and, of course, for the Stampede; but never before has the motivating factor been to stay at a specific hotel…until now. Welcome to The Dorian!

"Last year I read a book that proved to be transformational in regards to my travel. The book is called The Power of Strangers (2021)….

I thought about this book as I was interviewing Ian Nelmes one of the co-owners of the stunning four-suite “boutique inn’, Mirazule, located on the shores of Lake Ontario near Milford, Prince Edward County (PEC) in Ontario. Nelmes, along with his fellow owner, Miguel De Lemos, are a new breed of intimate inn proprietors whom will not only check you in for your stay but will pass you a glass of wine and start engaging you in conversation before you have even seen your room.”

🥇RANKED #1 RESORT HOTEL IN CANADA by TRAVEL & LEISURE

I really did not know what to expect as I headed out of the city to the sleepy town of North Hatley in the Eastern Townships for a mid-week break at the Manoir Hovey.

🥇RANKED #1 CITY HOTEL IN CANADA 2022 by TRAVEL & LEISURE

In Quebec City, it is easy to become an instant history buff or at least have your interest in the subject piqued. For example, did you know the city was founded in 1608 and, at the time, was one of the earliest European settlements in North America? I certainly did not or, if I did, I had long forgotten

The glowing articles started hitting my desk last fall. There was this new stunning 109 room and suite hotel property in Halifax called The Muir. The accompanying photographs created a double take. This is Halifax? Not possible!

A phoenix has risen in Prince Edward County (PEC), Ontario and their name is The Royal Hotel. Here meets a wonderful triangulation of farm to table, vineyard to glass and design to property. Top it all off with a staff that is simply bubbling with enthusiasm and gratefulness, the sleepy town of Picton is not only on the cusp of a transformational moment but the entire region is about to be catapulted onto the world stage.

Have you ever fallen in love with a city? Not fallen in love while in a city but actually fallen in love with the city? I have and her name is Lisbon! For years now, I have been hearing people rave about both Lisbon and about how it has become one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations.

I was unfamiliar with the term “art hotel” until I had the recent pleasure of staying at Gladstone House in Toronto. Certainly, I was aware of this hotel’s art-focus as its cultural contribution to the city has been legendary since the hotel was first reborn in 2005 thanks to the vision of well-known Toronto architect Eberhard Zeidler and his daughter, Christina; whose body of work includes The Eaton Center and the Queen’s Quay Terminal.

Gradually travellers are dusting off their suitcases and finding their way to the airport with the thoughts of warmer climes on their minds. And if they have not already headed south (or west or east) they are at least planning for it!

Sometimes corporations, like people, simply get lucky! Such was the case when the Quebec Hilton’s parent, InnVest REIT, made the excruciating decision to temporarily close their 569-room hotel in Quebec City in September 2019 to undergo a complete renovation

If you are at all like me, this working from home business is starting to get a little long in the tooth. Sure, it has its advantages (like a private bathroom and a snoozing couch) but twenty-two months later it sure would be nice to have a change of scenery, no?

My personal fascination with boutique hotels is directly connected to Le Germain Québec as this hotel was basically the starting point for the genre in Canada when they first opened their doors in 1997.

“This is your hospitality guru speaking. Please join me as we close our eyes and imagine visiting a place where nature joins us within our urban environment

At one time heading to Toronto was a relatively easy trip. However, with inter-provincial borders closed for several months, it has only recently been possible to head to Canada’s largest city on a strong desire to get out of town!

It is fairly common to hear the Italian term “chiaroscuro” when describing the dramatic use of light and darkness in regards to a piece of art but when it is used to describe a hotel’s interiors and overall atmosphere, it is unique

2021 has been the year of hoards of Quebec tourists visiting…Quebec! In order to escape the crowds both at hotels and restaurants, travelers have been forced to venture further and further afield.

Perhaps you are disappointed that your bucket-list tour of the Napa Valley was cancelled due to your inability to cross the US border, or that your planned Fall bike trip through the Loire Valley might not look all that prudent under the circumstances? Well, fear not!

If you are like me, every once in a while you may feel like you need a refuge: a place where you can collect your thoughts, disconnect and rebalance. For many years, this place for me has been Quebec City.

Recently I decided I needed a vacation! After three months of staring at my computer screen, it was time to hit the road but where to go? With the borders closed (both the US and provincial) and flying seeming to be not an option, I looked at the map of Quebec and decided to “buy local”