I was delighted to have the opportunity to travel to Spain recently on a site inspection for Dimensions in Travel. My traveling companion and I used an airport car/driver service, stayed at the Hotel Neri in Barcelona, ​and explored the city on our own. We had a short stay in coastal Valencia. Then we traveled onto Madrid, basing at the Hotel Orfila, did a half-day, private city walking tour of Barcelona arranged through Titanium Tours. This was a wonderful introduction to Spain for me!

Here's the short Youtube video that I created from my trip.

HOTEL ORFILA
This is a 5* Relais & Chateau hotel In the heart of Madrid, just five minutes from the Museo del Prado. Manager Emilio Ruiz stopped to introduce himself to us and chat for a few minutes. Usually in Madrid in February, 5 star hotels are at 35% occupancy.In February of 2023, they are at 70% occupancy. Emilio said he doesn’t know what is bringing everyone to Madrid right now, but it’s the place to be! 

• Location: In the Chamberi District on a quiet, private street. The Metro Station (Alonso Martinez) is a 5 minute walk. It is a 20 minute drive to the main tourist locations. It is about a 5 minute drive to the Prado Museum.
• Rooms: There are 32 Rooms, a variety of suites, superior room, junior suites, and five deluxe suite on the top floor. The deluxe suites have sloped ceilings – a very European touch. Some people don’t like this feature and prefer a traditional room. Most rooms have a bathroom and separate shower – very few rooms only have a shower. Rooms were renovated during Covid by a famous interior designer – all rooms are unique but the same style throughout (similar pattern wallpaper but different colors).
• Clients: Typical clients are 40+ who want to stay at a place that has this specific aesthetic. Children are welcome and they have a designated children’s menu in the hotel. In the rooms, some couches can turn into beds or it is easy to bring up an extra bed – the rooms have the space for it.
• Restaurant, Bar & Tea Room: Menu created by Mario Sandoval – a Michelin Star Chef.  When I was there they had three menu options: Regular Menu (€25 – 40ish), Tasting Menu (€85) and an Executive Special Menu (€45). It is common for locals to come for meals or a drink – they like the quiet ambiance.  The Bar across the lobby is an intimate setting. The terrace connects to the restaurant and tea room and offers outdoor seating. 

​I'd dreamed all my life of seeing Egypt’s incredible monuments to pharaohs and gods of Egyptian history. I was so eager to see the Pyramids of Giza and Abu Simbel and I love river cruising. This February, during winter break, I finally made this happen on an Avalon Waterways cruise-tour on the Nile with my friend Christine. It was an adventure! 

Cairo Hotel: We began by meeting up with our Avalon group of 26 people at the Marriott Mena House in Giza, right next to the Pyramids. The hotel offers deluxe pyramid-view or garden view rooms, two lounges, a large heated swimming pool and pool bar, spa/fitness center, and several fine dining options including Alfredo's (Italian), Mogul (Indian), 139 Pavilion (Continental cuisine and a substantial breakfast buffet) and 24/7 room service. 139 also features outdoor dining with pyramid views.

Exploring Cairo: Ahmed, our professional guide and knowledgable Egyptologist was outstanding and would be with our group the entire trip. Of course we explored the pyramids, inside and out, and by camel.

We visited the Cairo Museum (including the priceless face mask of King Tutankhamun),  Muhammad Ali Mosque (built in the 18th century with limestone from the pyramids), and Tahrir Square (site of the 2011 Arab Spring Revolution).

Nile River Cruise: We flew to Luxor and boarded our riverboat, the M.S. Farrah. The Avalon crew was fantastic and the variety of food was superb. On our two free afternoons, I was able to soak in the heated pool and watch Egypt go by as we floated down the Nile.

Temples: As we cruised, we visited Karnak (by day and at a night sound & light show), Luxor, Esna, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings (18-year old King Tut's body is in his tomb), Deir el-Bahari (Hatshepsut's Mortuary), the island temple of Philae, and Kom Ombo (with its crocodile mummies!).

Artisans & Experiences: For variety, we also visited Aswan High Dam, papyrus makers, alabaster sculptors, rug makers, spice merchants, exotic oil distillers and even visited a Nubian village where we had tea and got henna tattoos. The jewelry store onboard the ship also created many personal cartouche necklaces for our group members.

Abu Simbel: The grand finale of the trip was an optional morning flight excursion ($400) we could do to see the magnificent Abu Simbel, which of course we did. I highly recommend everyone do it. The temple complex was built by Ramses II to honor himself and to honor his wife Nefetari (his favorite wife out of his 34 wives). The 3,500 year old carvings inside were outstanding. 

Back in Cairo: We flew back to Cairo and stayed at the Hilton Heliopolis. It was located just 10 minutes from Cairo International Airport, which made an easy departure spot for our flights home. While back in Cairo, we visited Khan El Khalili bazaar, the Museum of Egyptian Civilization (many mummies here!) and sailed on a felucca boat one last time on the Nile. The Hilton is a deluxe high rise hotel featured 6 restaurants, an atrium lounge, 24/7 room service, spa, heated swimming pool, and beautifully appointed rooms.​ We all had different flight times home (a Lufthansa 2:00am flight for us - ugh) , but Avalon Waterways staff accompanied each of us to the airport and made sure we departed safely. This trip was everything I dreamed and I highly recommend it as a journey of a lifetime! Contact your favorite travel advisor at Dimensions in Travel to book it for you.

MARQUIS LOS CABOS RESORT
​The Marquis Los Cabos offers 209 rooms plus about 24 casitas with private plunge pools.  So fairly small by resort standards in Cabo these days. It is oceanfront but you have to sign a form that indicates you will NOT attempt to swim in the ocean as it has very heavy surf and undertow. The resort is just coming up to its 20th anniversary.  Five stories high, well maintained, all junior suites either ocean view (floors one and two) or ocean front, higher floors. We found a younger crowd this year, especially over the weekend.  Younger/livelier guests tended to congregate in one area where there was music and activities, and others, like us, who wanted it more quiet, at the other end of the pool area. Service was still outstanding.  Everyone knocks themselves out to be sure you are happy. ​​

Restaurants and Lounges
​The food was good, but not exceptional.  There are four dining venues, plus one extra-fee restaurant which we had tried two years ago and which had been a disappointment then.  The main restaurant, Vista Ballenas, has both indoor and outdoor dining areas and is open breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The Asian (Sakke) restaurant requires reservations and is open dinner only.  They have seating at a teppanyaki type table (like the old Benihana restaurants) – fun, and lots of food.  Too much, really. They also have table seatings for sushi and stir fry options.   

The Italian (Pergola) restaurant (also requiring reservations) is all outdoors and the temperature when we were staying was unusually cool. Low 70s and with a bit of wind.  By evening it would not have been comfortable without the portable heaters near tables.  Food comes from the main restaurant and we found by the time it was served it was warm, not hot.  And portions were the opposite of the Asian restaurant—rather small. ​

Probably the food we enjoyed the most was in the Dos Mares restaurant, which was near the main pool, again all outdoors.  This specializes in seafood like ceviche.  5 different kinds, all delicious.  It is open only for an extended lunch period, 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. 

The 24-hour room service features an extensive menu, and guests seem to use this a lot.  All rooms are junior suites at 650 square feet with balcony so it’s a comfortable way to dine in room with that space.   People also used room service for snacks and lunches (and of course drinks) served to them poolside. There is also a coffee shop with all kinds of fancy coffee drinks plus ice cream, milkshakes, sandwiches and pastries. 
 
A personal peeve is the continued use of QR codes for menus.  Limited number of paper menus and some like at the Italian restaurant were in such small print you needed readers. 
​
Resort has one bar, near the Vista Ballenas restaurant, which tends to get crowded. The resort also usually a nightly show or entertainment with a buffet dinner to accompany.  ​

WALDORF ASTORIA PEDREGAL
We went to the Waldorf Astoria Pedregal, which is now 15 years old, and a fabulous development.  They had to blast and create a tunnel through a mountain to develop it which is very close to downtown Cabo near the arches.  It is an amazing place, very much Mexican in feel but elegant with beautiful décor.  All rooms are ocean view and have plunge pools.  Very spread out, so lots of use of golf carts to get around.  Their El Farallon restaurant is impressive, set along the Cliffside overlooking the ocean.  Very service oriented.  There is a children’s pool, adult pool, and family pool.   And their spa is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. 
Mobility Note: None of the rooms here are accessible.  But they will install grab bars, a shower stool, if needed so it was emphasized to let them know if any special needs.  ​

CHECKING OUT THE MONTAGE TWIN DOLPHINS
We also visited a couple of resorts along the “corridor”. First we explored the Montage in the Twin Dolphins gated community.  It is 4 years old with two story “pods” with four rooms in each pod.  It is quite spread out, so again the use of golf carts is prominent.  There are private residences 2-3 bedrooms, available to rent as well as regular rooms.  A more casual feel here.  The landscaping is devoid of the usual palm trees, instead landscaped with all native desert plants.  Very nice.  Rooms have both indoor and outdoor showers.  Great sense of place here.  You feel you are in Mexico.  Rooms have large balconies and terraces.  Contemporary décor with lots of wood and tile.  On Santa Maria Bay, one of the safe swimming beaches, and they are lots of water related activities like kayaking, snorkeling.  It is pet-friendly for a pet up to 40 pounds. ​

CHECKING OUT THE LE BLANC RESORT
Our final hotel inspection was at Le Blanc.  It was the largest resort I visited, and very elegant, but it could have been at any beach—Hawaii, the Caribbean or Mexico.  No sense of place. 5 years old, rooms have large balconies and terraces.  Contemporary in feel.  This was another all inclusive resort, adults only.  Several restaurants including a Lebanese one with belly dancing! The French restaurant is rather formal, with a stricter dress code and requires reservations.  Pool area is huge.  Pricing on rooms I thought was a bit confusing.  They have ground floor rooms they call walk out rooms in the pool area—you walk out to the pool area which has both a heated and unheated pool. There is a charge for poolside palapas which have a t.v. and bottle of French champagne.  $209 a day, and a bit higher those closer to the ocean.  Partial oceanview rooms in the side buildings.  Oceanview in the main building.  Most are king but there are some with two double beds and was told the only way to absolutely guarantee a king is to book the king honeymoon rooms.