Inspiring Travel and Wellness. Join me for adventures above and below the ocean, exploring nature, luxury travel experiences, spa and wellness activities.
Looking for a break from the Phoenix summer heat, I needed a road trip. Several of my friends headed North this weekend for Sedona, Flagstaff, and Payson. We headed South to Mexico!
With some US cash in our pockets, passports (or Global Entry cards), iced coffee, and a full tank of gas we were on our way.
For the luxury portion of our Puerto Rico vacation, we checked into paradise, officially known as the El Conquistador Resort, a Waldorf-Astoria property. It has that Latin America laid back culture, but quite posh at the same time.
Our room was simple, with sunken bathtub and huge walk-in closet. The real in-room feature is the balcony!
The resort property is massive, with a little bit of everything. Just getting there involved driving through the enormous golf course (slight pun intended). There are several pools on each level, complete with poolside cafes, and many different restaurants. The engineering geeks (us) were very excited for the funicular, an inclined plane cable car, to carry passengers safely up & down the steep incline from the Lobby to a lower room level and the marina.
Continue reading “El Conquistador Resort Review | Fajardo, Puerto Rico”The right food and drink not only provide nutritional substance, but cleanse & calm the mind. I drink a lot of tea of many different varieties. High quality Tea is a thing of beauty.
My friend and I often share Tea stories, varieties, recommendations, and have enjoyed Japanese Tea at Nobuo for lunch earlier this year. Looking for another great tea experience, we consulted TeaMap.com and started on the list. Some of these locations have closed, and others are quite a drive. Another Tea enthusiast friend just had Afternoon Tea at the Biltmore Resort last weekend, and it was the perfect choice.
The Arizona Biltmore Resort is Waldorf-Astoria property built in 1929 in the art-deco style of design. The atmosphere is old Hollywood glamour. It was a stark contrast to Afternoon Tea at the American Girl Doll Cafe in Chicago last year, but both very enjoyable. Tea at the Biltmore is served in the main lobby, near the restaurant, by the front windows. Continue reading “Tea at Arizona Biltmore Resort”
Earlier this week we attended the Rush 40th anniversary concert at US Airways center arena in downtown Phoenix. Not wanting to miss a moment of the show, we called our Uber car and arrived almost 2 hours early. Our plan was to avoid traffic, and get a light snack & beverages at Cityscape before the show, since we had plenty of time. Great plan, except that every lounge and bar was packed! We could see the bar at the Blue Hound, but it was so crowded with people it was impossible to order a drink.
Feeling frustrated and claustrophobic, we wandered toward Central Avenue and discovered the most delightful cocktail lounge. Bitter & Twisted is deceptively simple on the outside, and a wonder on the inside. Reclaimed red brick from Chicago and a massive bar, complete with old-tyme bar stools, greeted us on entry. There are luxurious 
golden upholstered booths along the outer wall and a stunning wall canvas. The atmosphere is glorious! There were only a few people, which we later learned is because B&T opened on their normal day off to serve the concert-goers (thank you, thank you!).
The drinks are exquisite. Each one is poured with skill and attention to detail. Average drink price was $12 and took a couple minutes to make – worth it. We ordered cocktails exclusively, but they do serve wine and other beverages. I shared the Fish & Chips with my friend, and it was the best that I have had in Phoenix! Next time I will not eat before going, so that I can try more menu items.
B&T are self-proclaimed “Purveyors of fine cocktails, spirits, and good times” and that is the honest truth. We had such a nice time before the concert that we all met back at B&T for a post-concert beverage before calling our car to take us home. Traffic and crowds were overwhelming after the concert, so it was a strategic withdrawal to B&T.
The bartenders are funny, charming and talented. Explaining each drink ingredient when we asked, and offering dead-on suggestions for the next delicious beverage to try. The staff is clearly having a good time, and they ensure that everyone around them has a pleasant evening, as well. The bartenders were telling us about the New Year’s Eve party, and a few other events that we need to attend. Turns out, B&T hosted a fabulous Villain’s Ball during Comicon – I missed out!
B&T is located at Central & Jefferson, close to US Airways arena, the Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix convention center, and many downtown events. Bitter & Twisted is my new top pick for Downtown refreshments!
I love a good spa experiance, and I am a sucker for a great pool. The promotional photo for Sanctuary Spa on Camelback is stunning and serene. Travel Zoo offered a fantastic deal, so I immediately bought a spa deal and booked an appointment.
Sanctuary Spa on Camelback is nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain. There is no indication of being in the middle of metro-Phoenix, it feels like you are far-far away.
This is what the pool really looks like, not as exactly the same as the promo photo using the super wide angle lens to make the pool look much, much bigger. The slate tile surrounding the pool is beautiful, but dark gray and horribly hot (not a good plan for a pool in Arizona). The only shade is from the few cabanas (in the photo) and the umbrellas for the majority of the lounge chairs to the left of the pictured pool. The pool was refreshing, but lacking any breeze or shade, I cut my time short. The pool is shared between the resort & the spa and was starting to get crowded when I left. The view is beautiful, just not quite as remote as the promo photo indicates.
The spa front desk staff were polite and after a quick check-in and payment (the mandatory tip is applied before treatment when using a discount voucher), I was escorted to the Ladies locker area. I was not offered a tour of the spa facilities, even after I explained it was my first visit, and I had to ask for directions to the pool.
I purchased a voucher for the Sanctuary Jewel 60 minute facial. The aesthetician asked very few questions and really did not explain what products she was using or why. One of the masks smelled delicious and she confirmed my theory that is was indeed a Pumpkin mask. Everything felt really nice and smelled wonderful. I opted for the additional foot moisturizer and eye treatments. My face is soft and glowing, so whatever she did, it was a good treatment. Continue reading “Sanctuary Spa on Camelback Review and Spa Tour | Arizona Spas”
