Travel Reviews

Guest Post: Traveling to Italy – Where to Stay and What to Pack, Part 2

by Kirsten on November 17, 2010

The ever-so-fabulous reader Amy H. has provided such a great read on her trip to Italy. With amazing advice and awesome pictures, I am providing you with the second installment of her post! Read on to hear about where she stayed, what she wore, and everything in between! If you didn’t yet get a chance to read Part 1, you can do so here!

From Florence we were off to experience what travel guru Rick Steves calls the “decaying elegance” of Venice. The canals, bridges, palaces and boats make it one of the most visually interesting and romantic cities on earth. While we visited St. Mark’s Basilica and the Rialto Bridge, we mostly just walked around and explored. You can walk a wide circle around Venice in just a few hours despite how intimidating the map looks and how easy it is to get lost! Walking is also easy here because there are no cars. We stayed at Hotel Dimora Marciana. The best thing about the hotel was the location (a five minute walk from St. Mark’s)—I found the rooms to be a little dreary and formal and the service to be average.

After Venice we trained to Monterosso, a town in the Cinque Terre which is a string of five fishing villages on the Ligurian coast. This is the birthplace of pesto and focaccia bread. We had some amazing seafood as well. We worked off all that focaccia by walking the trails between the villages. Between the towns of Manarola and Riomaggiore is Via Dell’Amore (“Lovers Walk”). Couples come here and attach a lock to the gates or rail to seal their eternal love. We came prepared with our lock! We stayed at the Hotel Margherita in Monterosso which, according to the owner is renovated every year. Everything looked really nice, but it did have a bit of a paint smell! We had a very nice breakfast and a huge balcony!

While training back to Rome, we made a pit stop in Pisa, checked our luggage at the train station, and walked the mile or so to the leaning tower to get the typical “I’m pushing the tower back up” picture. Corny? Yes. But it is actually really neat to see something so iconic in person. When we got back to Rome we checked back into our hotel and went to dinner. The last day of our trip we had reservations to tour the Vatican Museum, which was pretty amazing. I definitely recommend paying for a tour because you get to skip the (very long) line and you get so much more out of your visit. That night we went to the famous Ristorante Da Fortunato near the Pantheon—the restaurant is featured in my husband’s favorite novel “Beach Music” by Pat Conroy, so it was a must-see. The next day, we sadly flew home!

A few notes about fashion in Italy. What stood out the most were sneakers like Converse (which was a surprise to me), skinny pants or jeans tucked into tall flat boots, and leather. I was so glad I brought my black riding boots for my fall trip to Italy. They were super comfortable and versatile and I felt like they added a bit of fashion to the typical sight-seeing outfit. Because they are bulky, I wore them on travel days. I also took a pair of very comfortable TOMS Shoes, those broken in heels I mentioned earlier, some flat sandals, and my sneakers for hiking. My basic wardrobe consisted of black clothes—a black blazer, black skinny pants, black straight pants, black leggings, long black cardigan, regular black cardigan, black dress, black tights, black and white striped shirt (note: don’t wear this in Venice or you’ll look like a gondolier!), as well as a few colored tank tops, a pair of jeans, a knit grey dress, some scarves, and a waterproof rain jacket. Yes it all fit into a carry-on bag! And best thing I brought along? Dry shampoo! Who has time to wash and dry their hair every day when you are in Italy? If you spend time styling your hair once every three days or so, that blowout can last when you spray your roots with dry shampoo and brush it out. I took along a travel-size bottle of Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo.

And finally, thanks to Kirsten for her guidance—she was right about everything! I felt fully prepared for my trip and consistently felt like I had “just the right thing” in my suitcase at every stop.

Thanks so much, Amy! Let’s hope she decides to write more soon. Great advice, and such a fun read!

Love, K.

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Guest Post: Traveling to Italy – Where to Stay and What to Pack

by Kirsten on November 16, 2010

I’d like all of you to give a warm welcome to Amy H.! She has been a wonderful reader of Traveling Fashionista and just came back from her honeymoon to Italy. Prior to her trip, we went back and forth planning her packing list and preparing her for the trip of a lifetime. Being fashionable was important to Amy, so read on to hear about her amazing adventure – from her outfits to the hotels and everything in between!

My husband and I recently returned from our two week honeymoon in Rome, Florence, Venice and Cinque Terre in Italy. I had the pleasure of working with Kirsten before my trip to design a packing list that would allow me to take everything I needed in a carry-on size bag and still feel fashionable sightseeing!

We flew into Rome and checked into our first hotel, Hotel Raffaello, where we would stay for two nights. This hotel was in a great location—easy walking distance to most tourist sites—had friendly staff and a nice breakfast. We also stayed at Hotel Raffaello two more nights at the end of the trip. While we were waiting for our room to be ready we decided to go visit the Colosseum since it was within walking distance. Actually, we found everything in Rome to be within walking distance if you are comfortable walking—and have good shoes. My airplane (and first day sightseeing) outfit was skinny black pants tucked into black riding boots, a tank top under a Patagonia white travel oxford shirt (with lots of pockets for your money and passport) and a black blazer. We also visited the Roman Forum and Pantheon on this leg of the trip and got started on the massive amounts of food we would eat during this trip—gelato, pizza, and spaghetti carbonara! I recommend packing pants with some stretch in them for Italy!

After two days in Rome we took the train (we had First Class Eurail Passes for the honeymoon) to Florence. We stayed at Hotel Davanzati which was my favorite hotel from the entire trip—and the #1 hotel in Florence on TripAdvisor.com. The hotel was within walking distance of the train station as well as everything you’d want to see in Florence. The hotel had a nice breakfast with made-to-order coffee (cappuccino for me please!), excellent staff, modern rooms, and a candlelit happy hour every night in the lobby with free Prosecco, Chianti, snacks and music. While in Florence we visited the Accademia (home of The David), the Uffizi Gallery, and climbed the Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore) for a spectacular view of Tuscany. One of the best meals we had in Italy was at a restaurant recommended by our hotel called Frescobaldi, owned by a wine family in the region. We had a parmesan and truffle fondue that was amazing and requested a wine pairing with every course.

Florence is known for its leather goods. I happily purchased leather gloves for myself and family, and splurged on a brown leather jacket for myself (though the price for the quality was a steal compared to what you’d get here). It seemed that all the women in Italy and Florence especially had a leather jacket. And as Kirsten says, it’s the most versatile jacket for travel! My jacket quickly became part of my rotating wardrobe for the trip. When we went to dinner at places like Frescobaldi I wore either a black dress with tights or leggings or black pants with a silver sparkly shirt and a blazer. For shoes I’d wear heels or my tall boots. I took heels that were already broken in, and only wore them for short walks!

To be continued….

Look for Part 2 tomorrow! Thanks so much Amy for such a great post!

Here are some pics of Amy on her trip. Not only does she look completely fashionable, but all of her outfits were comfortable too. A perfect example of how you can plan your packing to accomplish both necessities; chic and comfortable!

Love, K.

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Travel Review – Hotel Raffaello, Chicago

by Kirsten on September 27, 2010

Boutique hotels continue to be one of my favorite places to stay when traveling. Their smaller size enables them to really pay attention to the details in their design, customer services, and amenities. When I last visited Chicago, this was the second of two places I stayed. (You can check out my review of the Dana Hotel and Spa here.)

Hotel Raffaello sits on a side street off of the Magnificent Mile, the luxury shopping mecca of Chicago. A perfect location to access all parts of the city. When booking the trip, I had come across a great deal on the Voyage Prive website (yes, I do use these sites, and they are fantastic, AND everything they crack up to be!), and booked immediately.

Upon arriving to our hotel, (we walked there, but tons of public transportation is available), we instantly liked how quiet the street was. Shocking for being in a big city, right?! It’s funny how just a few blocks off the main street can make such a big impact in terms of street noise. We noticed the older brick building on the corner of E. Delaware and N. Seneca streets. Immediately you can see that this building is older, thankfully not an older dilapidated building, but an older, clean, beautiful building!

Ideally situated next to the Hancock Building, yes that’s one of the REALLY tall ones in Chicago, it’s charm makes it a unique and comfortable place to stay. Unfortunately I did not get a great exterior shot, so I had to use this one from the web instead. Thankfully, it gives you a great idea of how the building looks!

Upon entering the building, their lobby is small, yet feels spacious. They have done well with the space they have, and their interior design is fresh, clean, and modestly luxurious. Their front desk for check in threw me off a bit, as its just a small desk at the back of the room, somewhat nondescript, and if no one was standing there, you may be confused as to where to go next.

Our room was a Deluxe Suite, so not the regular run-of-the-mill room, and I was eager to see what it had to offer. On this particular trip, I chose not to contact the staff ahead of time to alert them of my arrival. Not that I am a VIP, but at times I like to arrange a tour of the building ahead of time, with a sneak peek of the various room categories. In order to get a very clear understanding of how the hotel is run, their hospitality, and their rooms, I do like to come unannounced, and that was precisely what I did on this occasion.

We took the elevator up to one of their upper floors and arrived at our room. The elevator was small and older, but something to be expected in an older building such as this. Our room was tucked away at the end of a long hallway, and upon opening the door, I felt a bit mixed on the room. It was large in size, had a separate living area from the bedroom and bathroom, but definitely felt old. They had done some remodeling and upgrading, which was very obvious and appreciated, but there was a darkness to the room that I didn’t like so much. I am very sensitive to the light in an area, so the darkness may not be of issue to most, and perhaps it was the particular location of our room. I instantly turned on all the lights in the room, and already I felt a ton better.

As you can see, the darkness shines through a bit in these photos. I didn’t do any editing with these, so you can see them at their organic state.

The bedroom had a wonderful king size bed that was uber-comfortable. I’m talking about the, don’t want to get out of bed, cozy all day, sort of bed. Big fan. I also liked looking out the bedroom window to the other older brick buildings. I felt so city-girl, considering I am so used to staring at trees and grass outside my home windows. How boring!

The bathroom was smaller, but I did appreciate having an outside sitting area to apply make-up or work on my hair. This bathroom definitely only fits one person at a time, and you can tell that it’s an older room with newer amenities. That was just fine and dandy with me!

On our last night there, when the thunder storms were at their peak, and our energy level was at its low, we decided to order in a good ol’ fashioned Chicago-style pizza. A quick call to the front desk and they had the local pizza delivery menus available to pick from. The fact that I got suckered into watching Jersey Shore for the first time that night is not my finest moment. And, I just may deny it if you quote me on it!

Overall, I would stay here again. The rate was very reasonable, the location was ideal, and it did carry a great old world charm to it. They also have a restaurant on site, but I tend to avoid eating at my hotel’s restaurant when I am traveling, as I feel like I have so much to explore, and never enough time. Would I recommend you to stay here? Yes! Don’t get too caught up on the older rooms, as it definitely feels clean, comfortable, and upgraded. The intricate ceilings, windows, and details of the older style was kept, but they managed to upgrade it to modern comfort. I appreciate that, and if you do too, you’ll be a fan of Hotel Raffaello in Chicago.

Questions, comments, want more information? Contact me at kirsten [at] travelingfashionista [dot] com!

Love, K.

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Travel Review – Dana Hotel and Spa, Chicago

by Kirsten on September 9, 2010

Indulgent, luxurious, and flawless. Visiting the Dana Hotel and Spa is a treat to your senses. They have left no stone unturned in every aspect of their hospitality. From the natural light that flows through each of their guest rooms, to the rooftop lounge providing magical city views, this boutique hotel exudes a passion for pleasure, with a cool and chic fashionable vibe. It is coupled with a high-tech environment and state-of-the-art amenities – often reserved for only the best of the best hotels.

Upon my arrival, I was warmly greeted by their doorman who pointed me in the direction of the elevator that would take me one floor up for check-in. Because I was meeting someone there, I did not have to go through the check-in process, but found out later that their individualized sit down service was both comfortable and efficient, exactly what we hope for when arriving to our destination.

Our hotel room was located on one of the higher floors, although it was quite obvious that this hotel has wonderful views from almost every guest room, no matter the floor you are placed on. With music flowing throughout the common areas, windows at the end of every guest hallway, warm, natural woods and earth tone fabrics, you can’t help but feel indulged. The moment I entered this hotel, I knew I was in for a treat.

We stayed in their regular guest room, which is always beneficial to see what you get for the cheapest price. I was completely blown away. The moment you open the door, your gaze fixates on the floor to ceiling windows, giving you a voyeuristic view of the beautiful Chicago skyline. Looking down upon the busy city streets, over the tops of rustic older brick buildings, or up at the amazing skyscrapers, it is a true feast for your eyes.

Each room is beautifully decorated with loft elements including cement ceilings and walls, dark hardwood floors (but carpeting beneath the bed), and a glass enclosed shower that joins the bedroom to the bathroom, allowing views straight to the outside should you so desire. For those wanting a bit more privacy during your shower, there is a golden curtain that can be drawn to separate you from the rest of the room. Truly magnificent.

Each room comes well equipped with top-notch electronics ranging from 37″ flat screen televisions, free high speed wireless internet, European cordless phones, Zeppelin—Bowers & Wilkins Sound System that syncs with your MP3 player, and Keurig Coffee Makers. On the luxurious side of the spectrum, the beds come with Serta Enrapture Eurotop Mattresses and 300 thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets, ensuring the best night’s sleep one can be offered. Their bathrooms are surrounded with Italian stone, and carry thick bath sheets, robes, and slippers for a spa-inspired feel. Each shower is well-equipped with rain shower heads, Philippe Starck shower stools, and are double the size that others may deem typical.

During the warmer months of the year, it is a must to check out the Vertigo Sky Lounge on the top floor of the hotel. This rooftop lounge has a sexy, chic appeal to it, with an outdoor patio and fire pits, a perfect place to meet someone new, or perhaps to share a drink with a date. Should it be a bit chilly, the inside of the lounge is no worse for the wear. The intimate lighting and mood-inspiring music just adds to the appeal of the floor to ceiling windows providing endless views of the city lights by night.

As a guest, you have access to complimentary continental breakfasts daily, 24-hour room service, private wine reserves, and a concierge service that provides wonderful insight on some of the best local attractions, restaurants, clubs, and hidden gems in the city. Although I didn’t get the chance to check them out, I would only assume their restaurant and spa are of top-notch quality as well.

Boutique hotels are my forte. They specialize in individualized service, unique amenities, and I expect the perfect juxtaposition of luxury and hospitality. At the Dana Hotel and Spa, they far exceeded my expectations, with not one thing I could suggest improving upon. For the most discerning luxury traveler, to the frequent business traveler, it would be hard to find an audience this hotel would disappoint. On my next stay, I hope to view their suites and provide insight on the value for money, as this is not the cheapest boutique hotel in the city. Would I come again and stay at the Dana Hotel and Spa? Without a doubt.

Should you have any questions, comments, or would like permission to use the above pictures, please feel free to contact me at kirsten [at] travelingfashionista [dot] com.

The Dana Hotel and Spa has received four Best of Citysearch 2010 Awards: Best Boutique Hotel, Best Business Hotel, Comfiest Hotel Bed, and Best Luxury Hotel. In addition, Dana was named the 2010 Forbes Chicago Travel Guide’s Best Boutique Hotels.

Love, K.

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Travel Review – La Bombanera, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

by Kirsten on May 17, 2010

Old San Juan, the oldest historical settlement in Puerto Rico, captured my heart on a recent vacation. The cobblestone streets, vibrantly colored colonial buildings, warm-hearted people, and lively night-life made this one of my favorite destinations I have visited in recent years. It was much more than I had expected, and D. and I can’t wait to visit the area again.

Traveling can be expensive, we all know that. I would be fooling myself, and you, if I said I did not live on a very fixed budget, in fact, check-to-check. How I manage to travel so frequently, has become a bit of an art. One of the ways that I save money, is to find great local restaurants and cafes in which we can eat for cheap. This seems to be a lot easier for breakfast and lunch items, and in this instance, we hit a gold-mine.

La Bombanera, a local cafe offering breakfast and lunch, is a fixture of Old San Juan, dating back to 1902. Can you believe it, this staple of their community, still going strong and fixing breakfast the Puerto Rican way for over one hundred years?! I was in awe. As you walk down the narrow cobbled streets to the entrance, you see it off in the distance, a small cafe with a bright red awning. We knew we were in the right spot as there were people pouring out onto the sidewalk, all waiting for a seat. Remarkably, the process was very quick and efficient, an testament to their years of successful service. In the window one can see rows and rows of freshly baked pastries and breads, each looking more scrumptious than the last.

Get the complete review with pics after the jump!

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Travel Review – Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach

by Kirsten on May 13, 2010

As promised, I am going to start providing travel reviews of places that I have visited and seen with my own two eyes. I won’t be doing this for every location that I visit (that would be excessive), but I do want to focus on providing valuable insight to others, in the form of completely unbiased reviews. What can you expect? My reviews will cover places that I would recommend visiting, places off the beaten path, things too good to miss, or perhaps places that may not be on your radar. I do a ton of research prior to each and every vacation I take, so you can guarantee that should I write about it, there is a good reason for it!

I knew before my trip to Oahu, Hawaii, that I had chose a great place in the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Across multiple travel blogs, travel forums, and travel review sites, they had very favorable impressions, lots of good press, and the hotel provided exactly what we were looking for in terms of a well-rounded property. To be specific, we were looking for a place that allowed us to be in walking distance of shops, restaurants, and activities, we wanted to be on the beach, to have a lively bar or restaurant on site, preferably with live music daily, a comfortable pool area, daily activities that kids could get involved with, clean, comfortable rooms, and great customer service. One would think this could be a tough task to find something that has it all, but in this instance, we were not disappointed, nor let down in the slightest.

Read the full review for the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach (and Outrigger Reef) after the jump!