Fall Vibes Only

Ideas for your next fall adventure that are sure to check the box.

It's that time of year when things seem to be “falling” into place again. The weather starts to cool down, kids are back in school, a new season of football has begun, the smell of pumpkin spice latte fills the air, and the color of the leaves begin to change. It's the beginning of sweatah weathah! It's also known as the shoulder season. The crowds have died down, and hotel rates are more economical. This is the perfect time to take advantage of that trip you've been dreaming about.

#1 Wine Lovers

Every year from August to October (depending upon the region) is grape harvest season. The vineyard comes alive with activity, as skilled hands carefully pluck each grape, their shears snipping in cadence. The harvest season is a celebration of culmination yielding the promise of exceptional vintages that will delight palates and linger in memory for years to come. It's also the time for local food and wine festivals.

Can you imagine a private tour of the harvest process with a viticulturist, or actually taking part in picking the grapes? What about a curated wine tasting journey throughout France?

If you've been to Napa, Sonoma or Italy, try the Douro Valley in Portugal, La Rioja in northern Spain, the Willamette Valley in Oregon or for something really off the beaten path think about the Istrian Peninsula in the northwest part of Croatia.

#2 Charming Destinations

Amsterdam

Dubbed as the "Venice of the North", this captivating town has our hearts. From being one of the most bike-friendly cities to a museum haven, it's no wonder why we feel it deserves a spot on your fall travel list. Can you imagine strolling the streets with a coffee and stroopwafel in hand enjoying the fall colors along the canals? Or what about a private boat ride through the canals taking in a different perspective of the architecture while learning about the city's rich heritage?

The Cotswolds

Each town is simply more adorable than the next! You can easily spend a week exploring the small towns, pubs, tearooms and local shops. Take a steam train journey. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway offers a nostalgic trip through the countryside on a beautifully restored steam train. Visit stunning gardens and historic homes and castles. The Cotswolds is also known for its arts and crafts. Spend time perusing art galleries, artisan studios or take part in a pottery, cooking or painting class.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

With Grand Teton National Park as your backyard, there is no shortage of stunning scenery and endless hiking trails. This is the time of year when the Aspen trees are bright and golden and with the summer crowd gone, it's a better time for wildlife viewing (elk, bison, moose and grizzly bears). With a vibrant culinary scene and plenty of outdoor activities (fly fishing, biking and horseback riding to name a few), Jackson Hole is a special place during this time of year.

#3 Cozy up in a Castle: Adare Manor

POV: You're in the captivating countryside of Limerick staying in a luxurious castle dating back to 1832.

Adare Manor has been voted the #1 resort in the world and is host of the 2027 Ryder Cup. There is no shortage of reasons why this idyllic place is perfect for our clients. More than formal gardens and Georgian-style decor, this hotel has something for everyone from yoga, falconry and clay pigeon shooting to world class golf, archery and fishing. It's elegant, adventurous, historic and luxurious.

We love the partnership we have with this hotel and when booked through us, our clients receive extra perks, attention and amenities like full breakfast daily for two, complimentary afternoon tea, room upgrade (based upon availability) and early check-in/late checkout (based upon availability). The sales team at the hotel goes above and beyond for our clients making your next stay that much more special.

Reach out to us for your next getaway at hi@chesneydavistravel.com.

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Our Luxurious Family Trip to Sicily

From the most beautiful sunsets in Sciacca to the bustling town of Taormina, Sicily is a dream come true, even traveling as a family of 5. What a way to start our family vacation by flying Emirates NYC to Milan. I have never flown on a more luxurious and family friendly airline.

Yes, we did fly business class, but there are wonderful point transfer options from Amex to Emirates making it super affordable! If you don’t have points, it’s well worth the money.

Once we got to Milan, we hopped a quick flight to Palermo and jumped into our 1.5-hour transfer van and headed to the glamorous Verdura resort in Sciacca, Italy. A resort that’s surrounded by olive and lemon trees and the perfect place for us to unwind and beat the jetlag.

This resort has it all. From the insanely large pool, the refreshing sea, the freshest fish I have ever eaten to the beautiful golf course that surrounds this astonishing resort, not to mention the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen. They also have a state-of-the- art gym and spa, and a lovely kids club. There is something for everyone. If you don’t ever want to leave the resort, you don’t need to.

I crave Italian villages that I’ve never been to, so we ventured out for dinner as a family to the local town of Sciacca, and I’m so happy we did! It’s a beautiful quaint fishing town only 15 minutes from the resort. We ate where all the locals eat, and it was incredible.

After 3 nights at Verdura, we headed to the glamours town of “The White Lotus” aka

Taormina. 13 years ago, during our honeymoon, my husband and I fell in love with Taormina.  We decided to take our 3 crazy kids and share our passion and love of Italy, while we reminisced a bit.

They are so intrigued with volcanos, and they are obsessed with pizza and pasta as

most young kids (and adults) are, we knew this would be a cool trip for them. Little did we know, just a few short hours after we hiked Mt. Etna and had a wonderful lunch at a woman’s house up in the hills close by it erupted!  That was a sight to see that the whole family will never forget.  

Taormina is super luxurious, whether you want to stay by the sea or up in the incredible

ancient town with spectacular views of the sea, you can’t go wrong. We chose to stay at the Mazzaro Sea Palace down by the Sea and this was the right decision for us. From the moment you walk in, you will have a smile on your face. The resort is stunning, directly on the sea, the rooms are spacious and spectacular, but the staff was truly the best. You can’t wait to wake up in the morning to head to breakfast. My whole family is still dreaming about their Nutella croissants and Granita, the perfect Sicilian breakfast.

One morning we took a private boat tour along the coast of Taormina with a husband-

and-wife duo, whose lifelong passion has been spent out on the sea. Saro and Graziella

made you feel like you were part of their family the second you stepped aboard.  The

endless prosecco and beautiful home cooked lunch by Graziella was perfect. This was

the highlight of the trip for all of us.

There are many restaurants you can walk to down by the bay, or you can opt for a short

cab ride into the city. If you choose to skip a cab ride up to town, you can take a short

walk to the funicular and head to town the way it has been done for almost 100 years.

I was fortunate enough to have a site visit at the famous San Domenico hotel. This hotel speaks for itself, especially for those that have seen the White Lotus. I was unaware of the extensive history of this phenomenal resort! If you have the opportunity to stay here, they have private history tours that you will be blown away with. Beauty surrounds you as you walk around, you will be astonished with the remains left from thousands of years ago that are still part of this luxurious resort.

Taormina has countless shops, restaurants, gelaterias and cannoli shops all throughout

town. Some of the best places are nestled in the quieter streets, which I really enjoy.

You can spend hours strolling around shopping or sit, relax and people watch while

enjoying an aperitivo.

Getting on that plane back to NY was difficult to do. I now close my eyes and dream of

the views, the smells of the food and sea, and all the incredible memories my family and

I made.

Until next year, Ciao Italia!

Reach out to me for your next trip to Sicily at barbara@chesneydavistravel.com.

5 Hotel Promotions to Take Advantage of Right Now

Looking to take a break from the cold, celebrate a special occasion or a getaway with your family or S.O.? Here are some of our favorite hotels in warm, gorgeous destinations that also have promotions going on right now. Want to know the best part? If booked through us, we can add extra perks on top of the promotions. Win-Win!

Here we go!

#1 - Rosewood Baha Mar

Photo credit: Rosewood Baha Mar

5th Night Free

Promotion valid for Travel Now Through 30 Apr 2022. Blackout dates may apply.

Located on Cable Beach, this 5 star property will wow you from beginning to end. The service is impeccable and the food is amazing. Can we just say that eating at Cafe Boulud was a dream? This is a chic retreat that offers two pools, flamingo yoga and within walking distance to a water park that is complimentary for hotel guests.

When booked through us, here are perks included with your 5th night free:

• 125USD Hotel credit per stay

• Daily full American breakfast for up to 2 people per bedroom

• Complimentary upgrade upon arrival, based on availability

#2 - Banyan Tree Mayakoba

20% off Best Available Rate

Promotion valid for Travel Now Through 15 Dec 2022. Blackout dates may apply.

From the moment you arrive, you can't help but notice how tranquil and peaceful this place is. You'll be greeted with, "Welcome home.", and it won't be long before you will feel at home. The staff is genuine, kind and will do anything for you. Best part? Each accommodation has it's own plunge pool!

When booked through us you will also receive the following perks on top of 20% off:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

• Daily breakfast for two guests per bedroom

• Resort Credits ranging from USD $100 to USD $200 per villa, per stay (Resort credit amount varies depends on the villa categories)

• Preferential green fees at El Camaleon Golf Course, a PGA championship course

• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

#3 - Montage Los Cabos

Photo Credit: Montage Los Cabos

5th Night Free

Promotion valid for Travel Now Through 16 Dec 2022. Blackout dates may apply.

Here's a travel tip: Swimmable beaches in Cabo are very few. 5 star properties on a swimmable beach are even more rare. However, if you want a swimmable beach and THE most beautiful beach + 5 star and then some. . .Montage Los Cabos is your perfect match. This property WILL NOT disappoint!

Book this fab hotel through us and receive a 5th night free plus the following perks:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability (excluding Specialty Suites, Residences, and Casas)

• Daily $70 USD breakfast credit per bedroom, available in the restaurant or through in-room dining. (Credit is non-cumulative, should be redeemed per day.)**

• $100 USD equivalent Resort/Hotel credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full, not valid on products)

• Welcome Amenity

• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

• Complimentary Wi-fi

• For bookings in Specialty Suites, guests will also receive complimentary one-way airport transfers (for up to 4 guests).

#4 - The Boca Raton

Photo Credit: The Boca Raton

$500 Food and Beverage Credit + $500 Spa Credit

Valid for Travel Now Through 25 Nov 2022. Blackout dates may apply.

This 5 star domestic gem dates back to the 1920's. It's oh so luxurious and just under went a PHENOMENAL multi-million dollar renovation. Need we say more? Set on 200 acres there isn't a lack of activities - golf, tennis, pickle ball, a pool club with a lazy river, beach, surf lessons and more!

As if that's not enough of a promotion, we can also add the following when you book through us:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

• Full breakfast daily for two guests per bedroom, served in restaurant

• $100 USD Resort/Hotel credit to be utilized during stay, excluding retail shops

• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

#5 - Mauna Lani

Photo Credit: Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection

Stay 5 Nights and Receive a $1000 resort credit

Valid for Travel Now Through 31 Oct 2022. Backout dates may apply.

Situated on the Kohala coast, this oceanfront luxury property is made up of guest rooms, suites and residences. 90% of all accommodations have ocean views and all rooms have a private lanai! It's a true haven for cultural immersion and relaxation. Looking for some adventure too? The Big Island is home to swimming with manta rays, stargazing and hiking in the incredible Volcano National Park. Here's a tip: Mauna Lani also has a black sand beach.

Need one more reason to take advantage of this promotion? Here's a few more when booked through us:

• One Category Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability (upgrade is from room to room or suite to suite, upgrade does not apply to specialty one of a kind suites or bungalows)

• Daily Breakfast Credit for up to two guests per bedroom (value of $80 per bedroom, per day) in HaLani Restaurant

• $100USD equivalent Resort or Hotel credit utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)

• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

• Complimentary Wi-Fi already included in the resort fee

Reach out to us to help plan your next getaway!

Let's Do this!