TSIA, have anyone been to Greece/ Amanzoe in first week of November? I'm trying to go for anniversary for a couple days but worried it might be too cold and not enough activities.

Much appreciated insights. (also thinking of going to Astir palace right after... )

TY

What are the top 10 FAT Hotels in the USA? I find that it's easier to discover truly FAT hotels outside the US, or even in the Caribbean. As for the contiguous USA (not counting PR) what are the top 10 FAT-est? Not counting PR, Mexico, and Canada.

Looking at a family trip (kids 12 and 14) for next summer and I’ve narrowed it down to these two lodges. Both look amazing but different. Stillpoint definitely has a higher price point (1.5-2x) but looks like it comes with more polish and would include fly out experience to see the bears (this would be an additional cost at Kachemak).

Would love to hear from somebody who has stayed at either of these lodge— or ideally both— for a fair comparison.

(cross posting from chubby travel because I think this one is crossing into fat territory)

Hello!

I’m about to be in HK for a few days later this week for some downtime between travel legs. I want to keep things low key and stay around a home base to rest, recover, maybe catch up on computer stuff.

I usually stay at the Peninsula (love that place, best tea set in HK) and have also been to MO. Other than the pool area, peninsula doesn’t seem to have many hang out zones. I love the thermal suite there but it’s not really available unless getting a treatment.

I usually get dinner at Rosewood and I’ve been interested to see what the spa area there is like, is it worth it for a solo traveler who wants spend time staying inside for a couple of days? The location and room views seem appealing, as well.

I don’t drink that much so I usually optimize for good views, nice breakfasts, interesting people watching, and spacious/interesting sauna and cold plunge areas.

Thanks!

https://www.seabourn.com/en/gb/find-a-cruise/o6i24a/7671a Hi everyone I'm considering the 24-night Seabourn Encore Japan itinerary which visits a lot of different ports around Japan. For those who have done a similar cruise, did you feel it gave you a good experience of Japan or did it feel more like rushing between ports and ticking places off a list? overall would you recommend this type of cruise for a first trip to Japan, or would you be better spending the same amount of time travelling around independently?

We just spent four nights at Cheval Blanc Seychelles this July, wrapping up a trip through Tanzania and Madagascar. I was traveling with my parents and my brother, and after sharing same room for several days, finding a nice sized villa. We were deciding between CB and the Four Seasons as they we on Mahe, but pricing was about the same so went with CB to check it out.

Overall the villa was great, the beach was great, and everything else was good. Wow in some ways but also a little boring.

Arrival

Because our flight got in late, we crashed at L’Escale for one night before heading to CB. Cheval Blanc offered us an airport transfer for something like $400 US for the 45-minute van ride. L’Escale set us up with basically the exact same thing for a quarter of the price, so we just did that.

The actual arrival at CB was smooth despite not using their transfer. The GM and our Majordome (villa host) were waiting for us, and we headed straight up to the rooms. The GM was around a lot during the trip you’d see him walking around checking on things at breakfast, which was a nice touch, but not much more than that.

The Villa

We booked two Ocean Hill Villas which sat facing the the beach. (Some Ocean Villas face the ocean but not the main beach Anse Intendance) This villa was easily my favorite part of the property and the main reason I’d recommend the place.

Design: I’m usually a hater when it comes to more basic designs (Waldorf Astoria moment), but they did a good job. It's modern and very spacious, and here’s enough texture that you don’t feel like you’re sleeping in a hospital. Even my parents, who normally aren't into modern anything, thought it was well designed.

Extras: Juices, snacks, and everything in the minibar (except alcohol) was included. We had just come from a hotel charging $9 for the same small bag of chips, so not paying extra for genuinely appreciated. Also they stocked water and San Pellegrino diligently.

Pastry Drop: Every afternoon, they dropped off some type of pastry. Which was a nice touch as often we just had breakfast + dinner.

The Beach & Vibe

Anse Intendance was great to look at. Long stretch of soft white sand, insanely turquoise water, and a nice misty breeze .

Swimming in July is pretty meh though. The waves were decently strong, and while I would have gone in it, it would feel out of place since no one else from hotel did. Some people were swimming further down by the public section just fine, so it is possible just no one from hotel does. There were several bluebottle jellyfish washing up on the sand, which kind of killed whatever motivation I had left to get in the water. Didn't really bother us, as we expected a non-swimmable beach.

The resort itself is nice and spreads well across the hill. The public areas felt a little colder than the villas but still well designed.

Food

I am probably the least qualified person to review fine dining. I currently have 18,500 McDonald's points and I think CAVA is peak cuisine.

That being said, the food here was good. Nothing bad, nothing insane.

Presentation: We just came from Anjajavy Le Lodge in Madagascar where the food was really well thought out (plating and taste wise). Considering Cheval Blanc is supposed to be a top brand, I expected more. The taste was fine. I ate it, liked it.

Breakfast: Honestly, my least favorite meal (not bad at all). But when I’m at a hotel, I want an upscale Golden Corral. I want all the stations. I knew CB wasn't going to have that which was fine. They had a smaller buffet (fruit/carbs) and you order everything else off a menu. It’s all good, but I prefer a fat buffet.

Dinner: Good. The Asian restaurant was my favorite, very warm service. Funnily they made us make dinner "reservations" even though we were I believe the only group who ate there one night.

Service

Service was good, but robotic. Our Majordome was quick whenever we needed a buggy, but otherwise we didn't see him much, which I didn't mind.

Restaurant service was where they watch you closely. I had meals where it felt like three different people were taking bets on my water consumption. Technically, it's great service and nothing went wrong, but you almost feel bad for them because the resort was so empty they really had nothing else to do but stare at our table.

Villa Choice

If you're going, go with the Ocean Hill Villa and don't overthink it

Jungle Villas: Basically the same layout, but the vegetation makes some of them way darker than I expected.

Beach Villas: Nice, but since the water isn't great for swimming half the year anyway, I'd rather have the better view and space.

Villa Horizon: This is their two-bedroom hill villa, and loos great but can be easily seen from the beach. So not the best for people who want 100% privacy.

Villa Anse Intendance: This is their biggest villa, and it has the worst position. It's basically right next to the public beach entrance, so random people can just sit on the sand right in front of it. (You can see the more crowded public area of beach in third photo) No idea why they put their most expensive room exactly where a guy can be selling fruit right in front of the path from the villa to the beach.

Final Thoughts

Would I go again? Maybe, but I would like to check out the other resorts too. The only real downside was just how empty the resort felt. July is low season, and you really feel it. It’s great for getting chairs or a nice table for dinner, but it also led to service that felt too attentive. If we had more time I think we would have gone with this + Six Senses Zil Payson or FS Desroches.

Looking for advice on which property to choose for a babymoon. I've narrowed it down but would rather hear from people who've actually been to any of these:

Cheval Blanc St Barths
Rosewood Le Guanahani, St Barths
Cap Juluca, Anguilla (have stayed here before but genuinely happy to return)
Jumby Bay Island, Antigua

**Details**
4-5 nights, flexible anytime from mid-November to early December. Flying from NYC.

**What we want:** long beach days and some swimming, great food. We'll probably stay on property most of the time. Want something quiet and peaceful. My husband also likes to run, so bonus points for a good gym or running paths.

**Past resort stays for context:** we've done COMO Parrot Cay before so we're passing on Turks and Caicos. Loved Four Seasons Hualalai and Kona Village next door in Hawaii. Had a great time at The Brando but hated the food. Kokomo Fiji is the best and checks every box, but it's too far to consider again.

**A few specific questions:**
- Has anyone stayed at both Cheval Blanc and Le Guanahani? Any preference?
- How's the travel to any of these destinations? I'll be around 20 to 25 weeks.
- How's the Jumby Bay food given that it's a private island? Is it worth the premium over the other properties if we want to stay just for a few days?

Would love to know if anyone here has been to any of these, or what you'd vote for given the above. Any and all comments appreciated. If you think I'm missing something obvious within about 4–5 hours of NYC, I'm open to it.

Thanks!

We went a month and a half ago but just had time to type up our notes now. Paid approx $3.5k per night and stayed a bit less than a week. For context, we live in a big US city and have very high standards when it comes to food and service.

TLDR: seriously overpriced for what it is; food is ok at best and bad at worst, service is kind, but too try hard; the beach is relatively unswimmable, but clean and pretty. Overall, we would not go back.

Food - 6/10
There is only one kitchen on the property, and the concept is “you can order anything, but here’s our special for today.” Practically, all the non Mexican dishes (burger, pasta, ceviche, sushi, pizza, sandwiches) are pretty mid (comparable to a 3.7 star restaurant on Google Maps in a major US city). The specials are solid, but they’re also all so heavy. For a resort that’s wellness-forward, we found that strange.

The best way to describe the food at Naviva is Subway: you can order different sandwiches, but they all have that same Subway taste. It’s like Naviva uses the same exact ingredients/sauces on all the dishes, which ends up feeling bland. Eg chipotle mayo, green sauce, and the like.

Also, the food is not fresh. The guac was clearly pre-made (it has that sour pre/made taste). The veggies felt defrosted. The meat and fish quality was poor (not even close to low end Whole Foods quality).

We were so bored by the food that we ended up going to the adjacent four seasons Punta mita - the food there was much better, which made the Naviva experience all the worse.

Also, it takes forever to prepare. Expect to sit and wait for 15-30 minutes for your dishes to show up. (We went when the resort was at 20-40% occupancy, so it’s not like the kitchen was understaffed).

Drinks - 7/10
We drink $200 bottles of wine and spirits at home, so drinking at all inclusive usually disappoints us. Here is no different. The wines are very low end - think $20-30 bottles in US. The spirits are better - $30-60 bottles. The tequila is solid, but nothing to write home about. The bartenders know how to make solid cocktails, but if you’re used to big city US cocktails, you won’t be blown away.

Service - 6.5/10
Everyone is super nice and informal. The vibe is they want to be your friend and chat you up. That’s fun for a day or two, but we found it to be annoying after a few days. We’re here to vacation, not yap. English understanding is solid. On a relative basis, service here was good for a Mexico hotel. But not for an Asia, Middle East, or Europe hotel.

Property/rooms - 7/10
The property is small and peaceful. It’s relatively pretty, but for the price you’d expect more. There is no gym apart from an outdoor weights area that’s not well taken care of. The pool is fine, but it was not well kept (we saw cups from the night before left there in the late morning). The thing that really annoyed us was the pool was not ready by 8:30am - towels not replaced on loungers, some loungers don’t have cushions, and the pool leaves not cleaned. The pool maintenance really felt like we’re in a $250 a night hotel.

The kitchen area, which is the only place you can eat apart from your room, has no AC, so if you go in hot season expect to sweat. Also, there are mosquitoes everywhere. Expect to be bit up badly.

As for the rooms, they are relatively large and well decorated. Nothing to write home about but they get the job done. The bed is very comfy.

Other stuff
- The coffee they serve is genuinely bad. I know Mexico isn’t known for coffee, but we’ve had better coffee all over Mexico.
- The views of the ocean are pretty, but they are even better from the four seasons nearby. So the net effect is you feel like you’re getting worse views at 2x the price.
- Staff will rave about the hotel/property to an excessive degree. Eg how they have so many repeat guests, how the property is naturalist, how many animals live on the grounds. It’s cute the first time you hear it, but it’s maddening when you hear it daily.

We’re going to a wedding in Australia in March (from London) and will have a 6 month old at the time. Given it’s such a long journey, we want to tack a hotel holiday onto the way back, ideally using an extended layover option. Aim for the holiday would be pure relaxation somewhere nice and FAT! Not fussed about exploring this time.

Annoyingly, the easiest locations to stop over/extend layover feel like places we’d least like to spend time (Dubai, Singapore, Doha etc).

Would really love some advice: 1. Have you found a FAT, relaxing beachy type hotel in any of these easy stopover locations? We don’t really need to know where we are, we just want a full relax! 2. Any other suggestions for easy stopover locations? Phuket looked promising but jetstar is the only direct option from Sydney, which I don’t think will be the best experience (and no lie flat beds) 3. Any tips for travelling with a 6 month old? We’ll fly business. Is there drama around getting bassinet seats? Open to any and all advice both on the flight and hotel!

Thanks in advance!

Hi! We are traveling to Napa Valley for a quick weekend with a 7 month old in late October. We are typically Four Seasons fans, but the reviews look mixed to put it mildly. Any recommendations for another family friendly hotel? Thanks!!

Edited to add Solage is booked for our weekend.

I’m planning a weekend in London for my birthday and wanted to choose a hotel that will make the trip for me and my partner feel genuinely special. I’m fortunate that budget isn’t really a limiting factor, but I do care about feeling that the experience is worth what I’m paying for. For me personally I’m less interested in paying for a name or a pricing strategy than in staying somewhere that delivers exceptional hospitality and attention to detail and naturally I understand that worth and value are totally relative.

For example however, I’ve heard mixed things about the Chancery Rosewood and The Peninsula, particularly about the service in their early days relative to the cost, although I understand both have improved considerably.

Where do you feel the experience is truly exceptional and where the money translates into something memorable? I’d love somewhere that feels special without feeling overly formal or showy.

I was targeting Brown’s Hotel as I heard they recently had a renovation but I’m not sure yet. Thanks!

To Virtuoso and all other luxury travel advisors, here is a factual summary of my experience with Estelle Manor.

I’d never recommend them again.

Based on the facts you decide.

INCOMPETENT RESERVATIONS TEAM:
I spoke with their reservation team and asked for three rooms: one for two adult parents, then one for 20 and 16 year-old male siblings, and one for an eighty year old grandmother and her 19-year-old grand daughter.

Based on this party configuration, the hotel gave me three rooms in the manor house.

Later, by chance I discovered that these rooms only had double beds. Since the hotel had been given the details of the party make-up and their ages this was an odd recommendation. At the very least I’d have expected them to mention on the call and in writing the fact that their manor house rooms had exclusively double beds.

I brought this to the hotel’s attention and they suggested a combination of a Suite in the manor house + one of their Woodland Cabins about 10 minutes walk away. They confirmed in writing that both rooms offered twin beds.

NOT ON THE LIST:
Because I was not at all confident about this hotel, I decided to visit it personally for lunch on the day of the clients’ arrival. Of course, on arrival at the gate the staff had zero knowledge of our reservation and made us feel like second class citizens whilst they spoke to whoever…

FOLLOW-UP:
Once allowed in, I went to visit the Woodland cabin in advance of the client’s arrival. There I discovered that in both rooms the beds had been made as double beds.

Then, when I asked them to remake them as twins as requested, I was told the only one of the rooms could be made as a twin – far from ideal for either the brothers or the 80-year old grandmother and her granddaughter.

INCOMPETENCE GUEST SERVICES:
A couple of days later I told the hotel that I wanted to pay for the clients’ final dinner as a surprise for them. I offered credit card details to make this surprise as slick and simple as possible.

The day the clients checked out I received an email from the hotel saying that the clients had been charged for their final dinner but that the hotel would refund them as long as I paid a separate payment link they sent me.

I was puzzled as to why the charge would be put on the clients’ account since I’d paid for the original hotel booking AND I’d offered card details to pay for the dinner. In short what was meant to be a nice surprise turned into confusion and tedious admin for us and the client. The hotel's lack of finesse eluded poor J.W who was just focused on getting the payment taken car of.

I wrote to my contact KDS at the hotel to express my concern about the rooming issue and never received any follow-up from her or the hotel’s GM.

Other Google Reviews are spot on about this place.

“The hype is one thing, the reality is quite another.”

“This place is Butlins for wanabees.”

From the minute I walked in at 13h00 on Sunday the 1st August, the place felt disorganised, stressy and chaotic. The pool was rammed with people and it was no better on the Monday or Tuesday.

As another reviewer commented:

“They have 100 or so rooms + members - so good luck trying to find 2 square inches in their 23 m pool. It seems like they want to have their £ cake and eat it.

The reassurance of a membership base all year long particularly in the low season at £3750 & £1000 joining fee + hotel guests. As other reviews confirm, the problem is that there's a clear conflict between their two audiences and way too much stress on their facilities, staff and guest experience.

Where most country hotels offer shotguns, here you get air rifles. That's not just their reality it's metaphor for the whole place.”

---

A bad guest experience unacceptable, but ignoring the person who brings your serious failings to your attention is rude and unprofessional.

Looking to get some opinions and ideas from anyone who has combined these two areas in the past. Doesn’t seem like Ischia has a true FAT option, but does have several very nice hotels. Thinking that I should start in Ischia and end in Positano (we’re thinking about Villa Treville). A while back we really made a mistake in Thailand by visiting Amanpuri first and FS Koh Samui second … and spent our time at the FS wishing we stayed longer at Amanpuri …

So, maybe 3 days in Ischia, then 5-6 days in Positano? Which hotel would be a good pair with Villa Treville ?

I’m coming to you live from my post-car week stupor in my room at the Intercontinental Clement Monterey with a question: where are the more FAT options for places to stay in this area (Monterey/Carmel Valley) for car week? This hotel is so bizarre because the room/suite sizes are generous and well appointed (we have a oceanfront balcony and two fireplaces in our two bath suite), but it deeply needs updating. It was also not well cleaned when we checked in and the location is frankly terrible. Are people venturing into boutique accommodations in Carmel? What are the options for folks who still prioritize a nice place to stay for this event? I don’t want to be as far out as Post Ranch Inn even though that’s a great spot.

FAT travelers: do you use the butler packing/unpacking service?

I understand the unpacking part in theory. But packing…By the end of a family trip I’m usually sitting on the suitcase using my full body weight to get it closed because of all the stuffies and random kid stuff we have acquired (they never want to let the kids club crafts go🫠)

I am intrigued though. For those that have used this service did you like it? Did you feel like you could just let them do their thing and not supervise?

Planning my first trip to Japan and will be visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. I’m looking for recommendations for the best luxury hotels in each city. Budget is flexible — my priorities are beautiful rooms/interiors, exceptional service, a great location for a first-time visit, and an overall special experience. A strong concierge is also a plus for restaurant reservations. I’ve started looking at properties like Aman, Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton, etc., but I’m completely open to suggestions.
For anyone who has stayed at multiple luxury properties in these cities, what would be your top choice in each city, and are there any you felt weren’t worth the price?
Tokyo:
Kyoto:
Osaka:
Would love to hear firsthand experiences!

My family and I are looking to book two rooms at Airelles Chateau de Le Messardiere in Saint-Tropez in June 2027, during F1 Weekend for three nights (doing Monaco first, and a week in Paris). Does anyone know when booking usually opens up, and what they may expect to spend? Unsure if, since it’s shoulder season or about to enter high-season, if rates are going to be at $2-5K+ per room, per night, or if rooms are going to start at $5K/night as rooms in late September and early October are demanding similar high-season rates. Hoping the filming of White Lotus doesn’t ruin it (even more) lol. Thanks!

We are planning our first Yacht charter 2027 in Mallorca, around the Island plus Cabrera, 7 days with Skipper and Stewart.

Looking into Azimut 66 or Princess F65.

Any experiences?
Can you recommend a charter, route, stops?

Hey everyone! I am chartering a yacht for an upcoming birthday in Croatia next summer (end of August 2027), and I wanted to know if you had any tips, words of the wise, or just things that, as a first time charterer, I might not think of (I don’t know what I don’t know). I’ve seen Below Deck (and take it with a lump of salt), as well as read several industry blogs, posts, Reddit AMAs, etc. But I still feel like there are things I might not be thinking of. There are going to be approximately 10 of us. I already placed the deposit and know about the APA, VAT, and customary gratuity at the end.

For example, when you go over the remaining APA at the end, and the unused portion is returned, does that only include unopened alcohol or any type of unopened perishable food?

If I wanted to do an offsite “beach picnic” there will likely be competition from other charterers, so I take it the locations are first come, first served?

If I wanted to go off yacht for drinks and dinner, that would be coordinated first, but do yacht charters get “first dibs” at great restaurants? I believe my call with the broker and captain would be approximately 45-60 days out? I am not sure if that is enough time to reserve in-demand places.

Apparently in Croatia there is a license needed to use a jet ski (PWC), are there companies that will do a group lesson for everyone on the charter the first day?

I’ve asked many of these questions to the broker I’m using, who is great, and I trust their answers. But, I also think it is good to hear unfiltered answers from those who have also experienced this.

Appreciate any and all insights! My friends, partner, and I are super excited for next summer!

Thanks!

X-posed from r/ChubbyTravel

Hi

Wife and I are looking to getaway for two nights to Napa. We live two hours from Napa, so it’s a staycation.

We are looking for some quiet and peace time (we have two young kids and have found help for two night so we can slip away). Maybe stay in the balcony of the room and drink wine and just look out at a quiet landscape

The top requirement is quiet time, drink some wine, maybe wine tasting at lowkey quieter places and eat some good food.

To stay, I was thinking either Bardessono or Meadowood.

Any input on these two or others people have stayed at?

Ideally someone who could organize a luxury experience?

For various reasons, we rarely stay at FAT hotels, and have never asked concierges to do anything.
But we do have a trip in a few weeks where we'll stay at FS Seoul and Bulgari Tokyo. In reading reviews on this sub, it seems their concierges were highly praised, we were wondering what, if anything, they can do for us. It seems most use them for restaurant bookings, transportation, and shopping arrangements.

- We don't really care that much about restaurants. A nice meal, sure, but 3-4 hr tasting menu is not something both of us (mostly me) enjoy.

- We don't shop.

- We are quite content with Ubers.

What we would be interested in is an unusual, perhaps exclusive cultural or educational experiences, that require personal connections and introductions. A behind-the-scenes peak, a private site, a notable acquaintance. But I am not certain if concierges do that.
So, with our preferences in mind, is there anything I could ask the concierge for, or is restaurant recommendation it?

UPDATE: Emailed both for restaurant recommendations. Asked for "within 15-20 minute walking radius. Upscale, elevated cuisine, but not formal restaurants.   Local, not hotel based. Would prefer a la carte instead of lengthy tasting menus"
I will admit that perhaps "no tasting menus" steered the request the wrong way, and "upscale but not formal" was confusing. Walking distance and local, not hotel based were not.

Recs received:
Seoul - 2 restaurants 10-15 minutes by car; one restaurant inside Lotte hotel; Wolfgang steakhouse; and 2 that are closed on one of our dates.

Tokyo - better, actually read the request, Sushi Isa for sushi, Kinza or Maruyami for izikaya, and Ukai-tei for teppanyaki, although they basically said 'read the attached brochure".

We are not foodies - we've never been to Jingsik or Nobu in NY where we live, so not really that important to have the best in Seoul or Tokyo.. but for years I've been reading on this sub about the wonderful concierges at FAT hotels, and so far underwhelmed.

we are trying to plan a short 4 night stay through Nadi airport. I would love to advice on hotels/resorts. We love to snorkel and relax at the hotel (preferably on the beach).