Have you ever used the Hamptons and Blowing Rock in the same sentence?  If you haven’t before, you will find more people are starting to.  With Haute Living naming Blowing Rock, North Carolina as No. 2 in its top ten places for a second home, just behind the Hamptons, and Southern Living deeming Blowing Rock a favorite mountain destination, it seems people are converting from occasional visitors or regular vacationers to residents in North Carolina’s High Country.

And what better time of year to experience this relatively undiscovered gem than at peak leaf season this October.

The Crown of the Blue Ridge

Blowing Rock, also known as the “Crown of the Blue Ridge”, is located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway (America’s Favorite Scenic Drive) in the heart of the High Country.  Families from across the country have made Blowing Rock a well-known mountaintop destination since the mid-eighteenth century.  Reminiscent of Norman Rockwell, the town of Blowing Rock is overflowing with small-town charm, picturesque shops, eateries and galleries.  Blowing Rock offers plenty of adventurous activities as well.  From golf to horseback riding, whitewater rafting to canoeing, hiking, biking, rock climbing and fishing, there is something to fit all types of outdoor enthusiasts.  If skiing is more up your alley then Blowing Rock is the place for you.  It is the home to Appalachian Ski Mountain, a premier ski resort in North Carolina.  Blowing Rock and the immediate surrounding area are also home to many popular spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway including Price Lake, Moses Cone Manor, Pisgah National Forest, Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville Falls and more.

The Ultimate Adventure Destination

Less than ten minutes’ drive from Blowing Rock is its sister city, Boone, North Carolina.  Young at heart, Boone is home to Appalachian State University, an excellent and progressive institution in the UNC system; Appalachian Regional Medical Center, the healthcare leader in the High Country; King Street, the eclectic offering of boutique restaurants and shopping; and an abundance of convenience commercial restaurants and retail stores, just like you have come to expect in your home town.  Boone gives off a youthful energy representative of a college town.  It’s been deemed by Norm Crampton as one of the “100 Best Small Towns in America” and one of the “50 Top Adventure Towns” by National Geographic Adventure.  Travel journalists have also recognized Boone as an “ultimate outdoor adventure destination”.  Boone has become a destination in its own right for those seeking natural beauty and outdoor recreation across all four seasons.

Luxury living on high at Blue Ridge Mountain Club

The Blue Ridge Mountain Club is the newest, and most luxurious private, gated community on the rise in North Carolina’s High Country. Founded in 2008, it spans more than 6,200 acres and offers a sanctuary of picturesque mountaintop living amid the highest ridgelines in the High Country at the crossroads of Blowing Rock’s charm and Boone’s conveniences.  The community has show stopping, panoramic views stretching to Charlotte that give residents the feeling of literally living on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

At Blue Ridge Mountain Club, leave the SUV in park and, instead, enjoy getting around via ATV/UTV or by foot along multiple creek and ridgeline hikes within the community.  The newest trail, the “Nickajack”, circumnavigates the heart of the community known as Watson Gap Village. If hiking, fly fishing or skeet shooting is your speed, opportunities abound, both on property around Elk, Dugger and Laurel Creeks, or in the new Sporting Club which is under construction, or in the surrounding area with expert guides. Custom-built homes and cottages are now available, and – this winter – condominiums will be unveiled in the Watson Gap Village.

Blue Ridge Mountain Club is proof that luxury living and mountain charm not only co-exist, but are thriving.

 

Photo Credit  “Blue Ridge Mountain Club – (c) Brian Gomsak Photography

 

 

Are you ready for an eco-luxury spa in Mexico like non-other? How about Hotelito Desconocido, an ecological luxury resort that is located just 90 minutes south of the Puerto Vallarta International Airport. Hotelito is considered one of Mexico’s top hotels, and a fit for anyone looking for an extraordinary and relaxing location to escape to.

Surrounded by fairytale scenery lush with natural flora and fauna, Hotelito Desconocido is located in the middle of a UNESCO natural site with over 150 species of birds and infinite types of plants. Disconnect from the daily grind on its more than 37 miles of white sandy beaches surround by the Pacific Ocean on one side and a lagoon on the other. Its crystal clear waterways and gardens are also magical backgrounders for any special event.

The El Solecito (the Little Sun) SPA spans 4,675 square feet and features Thalasso pools, seven cabins (seven cabins for seven chakras – root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown), bubble beds, geysers, waterfalls, baths, saunas, steam baths, an infinity pool overlooking the vast blue Pacific Ocean and a temezcal. Cool touch: In the temezcal, a Huichol Chaman (wise man of the indigenous people of the area) can conduct a ritual/treatment for up to 12 people and pay tribute to the four basic elements of pre-Hispanic culture; air, water, fire and soil.

The property itself is almost self-sustaining and offers fresh products for its treatments. Most of the treatments are elaborated with natural products, like aloe, avocado, grapefruit, mango, passion fruit and more. Baths can be done with milk from local farm cows or goats.
We hear one of the most popular treatments is its Thalsso pools. Hotelito Desconocido uses seawater as a form of therapy. The circuit of four pools work to open pores and cleanse the body of toxins. The water also contain over 80 elements of the periodic table, which are necessary for our body to regenerate tissues, reduces inflammation, and helps to break fibrosis causing muscle aches, especially in the back. Because of this, Hotelito was certified by the Association of Thalassos in Valencia, Spain which in 2013 also named the property the 4th “Best Rehab Center with Thalasso in the World”.

Hotelito Desconocido’s Spa is one of the few in Mexico that offers 100% open air Thalassotherapy, a water-based therapy popular in Europe where distinct levels of salted water are used to relax the body. Hotelito Desconocido has two pools of Pacific Ocean water, one with 24% of salt level and another one with 47% salt levels, the same as the Dead Sea.

Hotelito Desconocido’s intimate setting in the Costalegre area of Jalisco providing guests with privacy, tranquility and a serene natural setting. The hotel has 27 scattered bungalows named palafitos, reminiscent of those found in exotic locations like Tahiti. Local Mexican artistry is showcased throughout the hotel whose main decoration theme is based on the popular Mexican lottery game La Loteria.

All palafitos feature an outdoor Vichy shower, stone and mosaic soaking tubs, a large terrace and views of the rivers, mountains and sea. Hotelito Desconocido, El Catrin, is its Presidential suite which is located on its own island and overlooks the lagoon and the sea. The suite also features its own sauna, heated and private Jacuzzi, stone bathtub, living room and a dining room, private infinity pool with Chromo therapy, mini bar, and 24-hour butler service.

Guests can enjoy an array of activities, including horseback riding, yoga-meditation, tennis, biking, kayaking, catamaran sailing, turtle release and hiking, as well as cooking lessons. On the El Ermitaño lagoon, visitors can also practice paddle boarding and fishing if they bring the equipment.

Hotelito Desconocido’s proximity to Puerto Vallarta’s international airport provides the hotel with easy and constant air lift with direct and connecting flights from across the United States and Canada with more than 20 carriers using the airport as well as charters and private planes. Hotelito Desconocido also has a helicopter landing area.

For more information visit www.hotelito.com.

 

Hotel Arts Barcelona is a luxurious retreat perched on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the foremost culinary destinations in Catalonia. Boasting two Michelin-starred chefs, restaurants Enoteca and Arola have been the hotel’s most popular eateries since their inception.

In 2013, Enoteca was awarded two Michelin stars under the direction of Chef Paco Pérez, whose restaurant Llança, on the Costa Brava, has also been awarded two Michelin stars. Pérez joined the Hotel Arts Barcelona team in the spring of 2008, bringing with him his expert knowledge of Mediterranean contemporary gastronomy. Enoteca values fresh ingredients and uses only the highest quality locally-sourced produce. The restaurant changes its menu according to the market, as well as offering a seasonal tasting menu. For wine enthusiasts, Enoteca also features a wine cellar housing over 600 labels of wine from both local winemakers and exotic wines from around the world. During the summer season, guests can dine al fresco as they overlook Barcelona’s Port Olímpic.

At Arola, Michelin-starred Chef Sergi Arola recreates traditional tapas with his own imaginative flare. The seasoned chef, who set up his first restaurant in 1997, sources fresh ingredients directly from the famous Boqueria market or from select Catalan producers. Using these high quality ingredients, Chef Sergi Arola has introduced several new dishes for Arola diners to enjoy this season, including fish and crisps “Arola Style,” grilled mushrooms in garlic and parsley, and red prawns from Roses, a town located on the Costa Brava and famous for its excellent fishing. Also being introduced this season is a new surprise menu in honor of the restaurant’s 10^th anniversary.

The stylish Arola restaurant’s extensive menu features a myriad of mouth-watering choices that can make it tricky for guests to choose which dish they wish to enjoy first. For diners who cannot decide, Arola’s knowledgeable team will be happy to suggest a choice of four or six surprise tapas. Guests can also choose to pair a cocktail with their meal, which will be hand-picked and crafted by Arola’s onsite mixologist to ensure that it is best suited for the dishes served. This new experience is specially designed to allow guests to relax while they are surprised and pleased by the culinary offerings chosen just for them.

Arola has been one of Barcelona’s premier eateries for the past ten years, bringing together the traditional and the contemporary in its array of dishes expertly created by Chef Sergi Arola. The restaurant is also the ideal setting for warm weather gatherings, with an outdoor lounge terrace overlooking the stunning Mediterranean Sea, as well as a program of live music in the summer. Additionally, Arola’s tapas style cuisine makes it perfect for sharing with others!

Hotel Arts Barcelona is an iconic luxury hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and situated right in the heart of the city’s Olympic Village Area. Designed by renowned architect Bruce Graham, Hotel Arts Barcelona features 44 floors of exposed glass and steel. The waterfront hotel also boasts 483 sea or city view rooms including luxurious suites and 26 duplex Apartments. Other features of this luxury hotel include terraced gardens, an outdoor swimming pool, one bar and five unique restaurants with two Michelin-starred chefs, and the two story spa located on the 42nd floor overlooking the vast sea below. In addition to these features, the hotel is recognized as one of Spain’s most prominent business hotels with 3,000 square feet of function space in Arts 41, aptly named for its position on the hotel’s 41^st floor. An additional 24,000 square feet of space is also available on the lower ground and second floors. As evidenced by the name of the hotel, Hotel Arts Barcelona is also an excellent destination for arts enthusiasts with its spectacular collection of Spanish contemporary art.

For more information and reservations:
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Barcelona/Default.htm