On Our Radar: Beach Shack in Cape May, New JerseyThis past weekend we lost our Cape May virginity. We had been wanting to check out the southern tip of New Jersey for some time now and with a heat wave raging in the east, it was the perfect excuse to take a trip to the beach. Cape May is an easy 2 hour drive from Philadelphia and 3 hours from New York.
We opted to stay at the Beach Shack. That"s the hotel"s famed Rusty Nail bar (above) and is the main draw of the property. During the summer, they have live music daily and a reggae all day on Sundays. The bar serves $3 Red Stripes and Coronas on Sunday funday, so there"s really no reason to go anywhere else.
The rooms at the hotel are nothing to write home about—it is called the Beach Shack, after all. But they are clean and quiet. The biggest downside is that on a 100 degree day the wall unit A.C. barely cooled our room.
Overall, Cape May has a very laid back vibe. The town caters to tourists, so you won"t get any attitude—all our servers were super-friendly, even when we sat down to eat at one restaurant 20 minutes before closing. Another plus is that there are numerous places to eat and drink so we never had to wait in line, even at the famous Uncle Bill"s Pancake House where we had the best blueberry pancakes of our life. (Admittedly it helped that we were only a party of 2.)
Another plus for the budget-conscious is that many of the restaurants are BYOB. There"s a liquor store conveniently located right off the Washington Street mall (an outdoor pedestrian shopping area), so you can pick up your booze before heading to dinner. We ate at Gecko"s, a Mexican place. Be sure to ask for the homemade habanero hot sauce. There"s so much to do in the quaint Victorian-style town, we barely scratched the surface. Cape May does cater towards families and couples, but there were groups of guys and girls out—the Ugly Mug was the place to be the weekend we were there. Cycling and miniature golf are just a few of the activities that are popular in the town. A fancier place to stay is Congress Hall, which has the same owners as the Beach Shack. Check back next week for photos from our tour of the hotel.
On Our Radar: Thompson Takes Over Hotel Victor MiamiThe Thompson Hotel group acquired Miami"s Hotel Victor this week. A renovation will be finished early next year; but their management will take over immediately. If you"ve walked down Ocean Drive in the past decade, there"s a good chance you"ve been to one of their parties at Hotel Victor. We sure have. The Art Deco hotel has 90 rooms most with ocean views and generous sized bathrooms and terraces. It also has a gorg infinity pool, 6,000 square foot spa, and multiple restaurants and lounges. We looked forward to seeing what Thompson can do to improve this already cool corner of South Beach.
On Our Radar: Swimming with Sharks in Mexico Okay, we may have a phobia about sharks when we"re in the ocean, but we"re not alone. This is an opportunity to see these babies up close and safely. In Playa Mujeres from June to September, whale sharks gather close to shore. While these sharks can grow to a whopping 40 feet long, they"re vegetarians. Would you have the nerve to jump in?
The new Villa del Palmar Cancun is offering a Whale Shark Adventure package which includes:
• 5 Days and 4 Nights in our Luxurious One Bedroom Ocean View Suite • 2 50-Minute massages per room, per stay • 10% Off additional massages • Up to two children under 12 stay and eat free (sharing room with their parents) • 2 Whale Shark Tour passes • Round trip transfers • Welcome cocktail upon arrival • All meals, snacks and beverages + premium brand alcoholic beverages • Complimentary internet access in your room • 6 times daily shuttle to downtown and hotel zone shopping centers • Complimentary use of water and land Toys: non motorized water sports • Daily theme nights • Taxes and gratuities
Price: $1598 total package for 2 Children"s’ tickets for Whale Shark Tour can be purchased on property ($79 USD per child)
On Our Radar: Public ChicagoIan Schrager"s redo of the Ambassador Hotel in Chicago previewed this week. Public is a new line and concept of hotels that Schrager envisions delivers luxury service and amenities to the masses. Public doesn"t scrimp on style and there won"t be frustrating charges like $5 Hershey bars and $20 pots of coffee. Schrager believes people are "sick of slick" and want a return to value and quality in the hotels they frequent.
The existing Pump Room restaurant was also reworked by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten with a farm to table approach and service at all meal times. At night the Pump Room turns into a glam 30"s/40"s supper club.
Preview rates start around $150 per night. The grand opening is slated for October.
On Our Radar: Grand Geneva Resort & SpaThis one is for our Midwestern readers who like a bit of adventure on their girls’ getaways. The Grand Geneva Resort and Spa on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin features all kinds of activities, like horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, wall climbing, golfing, biking and more—plus, skiing in the winter.
Some of the best elements at the Grand Geneva are its fabulous WELL Spa + Salon and fitness center. Take advantage of its Mid Summer Maintenance package that features private classes for cardio tennis, yoga, Zumba, body bump, or cardio outdoor combat, all followed by your choice of a massage or a customized facial.
Or if you like to golf, try the Grand Getaway package, which features a two night stay in a deluxe guest room, two rounds of golf on either The Brute or The Highlands courses, $300 spa credit per room and a $100 dining credit.
Or you can add a free Sunday night stay to your weekend getaway. Visit GrandGeneva.com for more info.
On Our Radar: Ace Hotel Palm SpringsPhoto courtesy nytimes.com
It must be all the rain on the east coast; but we"re craving a getaway to Palm Springs. The Ace Hotel and Swim Club is the perfect spot to hang with the cool kids in town. The hotel replaced an old Howard Johnson"s and added all the "Ace" touches like dog-friendly rooms, earth-friendly paints and materials, a sustainable kitchen restaurant in the old "Denny"s," music spun by celeb dj"s, communal fireplaces, WiFi, Rudy"s Barbershop toiletries and a retro pool scene. Some of the rooms have vintage record players and albums. You won"t have to go out for a good time because the Amigo Room Bar lights up at night with tasty artisan cocktails and the pool has a dj scene on Sundays. If you"re feeling adventurous, you can take a day trip to the Joshua Tree. We found a king room for only $109 with views of the mountains. The prices go up from there. Who"s in?
