Turks and Caicos: Grace Bay Club

Cyndy Stanford is a Brownell travel consultant. She is spending the week in Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. Read on for her reviews of various Caribbean properties.

GRACE BAY CLUB
The Grace Bay Club is luxurious, traditional and well-maintained, but friendly and there is plenty to do! I was particularly impressed with how well they take care of children with special amenities, a kids' program, and excellent staff. Adults have their own area where they can get away from families.

The beach is spectacular, food is wonderful, rooms are beautiful with
great views. And the staff is particularly caring.

There are some great local restaurants, shops and casinos nearby, but if you are looking for nightlife and Caribbean style and décor, Grace Bay Club is probably not your best bet. Some of their connecting suites would be great for a girls getaway or a family.

Grace Bay Club is building 'The Estate' next door that will be 22 residences with 2 penthouses. All the residences have 3 or 4-bedrooms with hotel privileges. Scheduled to be ready for rent by Dec. 16, '08.

To contact Cyndy, click here. For more information about Caribbean travel, click here.

Turks and Caicos: The Somerset and Beaches Resort

Cyndy Stanford is a Brownell Luxury Travel Consultant. She has been reviewing resorts in Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean this week. Read below for her reviews today.

THE SOMERSET
Our time today was a whirlwind, but I enjoyed seeing The Somerset. The Somerset is small and elegant, high quality, open, sleek, sunny and lovely! It would be best for couples, singles who don't need a party, families, and those who like exclusivity and smaller resorts.


















This resort seems restful but has plenty to do, if needed.

There are some less expensive cottage options off the beach, but most are multi-level with marble or slick stone floors and steps - not for handicapped or children with wet feet!


















BEACHES RESORT


















On to the Beaches, with a totally different feel! Beaches is large, busy, and has something for everyone. Great for families, groups and those who like all-inclusives. There are certain areas of the resort that I would rather not stay in, but I was impressed with the new Italian section. Beaches' all-inclusive program has everything - scuba, fine dining, room service, a really nice spa, and lots of venues where everyone can go around on their own and have a great time.

There is great nighttime entertainment, and nonstop opportunity for activities. It was really quite nice, if you don't mind lots of people everywhere.




















To contact Cyndy, click here. To learn more about luxury Caribbean travel, click here.

Turks and Caico: Point Grace

Cyndy Stanford, a Brownell luxury travel consultant, is spending the week in Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. Continue reading for her reviews of wonderful properties in the area!

POINT GRACE

We arrived a Point Grace this morning and my first impression of was wonderful. It is small and inviting, Caribbean in style, beautifully designed and charming—a cottage feeling, perfect!

It is best for couples and families and those who prefer smaller resorts with the pool and beach just steps away. There is not a ton of space or secluded areas.

All the rooms are suites with updated and restful décor and pretty, lush grounds. The spa is oceanfront, unique, small and in wooden treatment rooms with ocean breeze and fans - everything is so charming.

Unique--I loved it!

To contact Cyndy, click here. To find out more about Caribbean vacations, click here.

Turks and Caicos: Amanyara

Cyndy Stanford, Brownell luxury travel consultant, is in Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean this week. Read on for her reviews of all the fabulous properties she is visiting!

AMANYARA RESORT

First impressions: WOW! But a dusty, bumpy, long and difficult ride through nowhere to get to it. The style is open and unusual, with Balinese or Asian-type buildings and rooms. There is little to do close to the resort itself, so Amanyara is best for honeymooners and those who want seclusion and quiet.

The beautiful deserted beach is at the beach club, which has the restaurant. The hallmark of the resort are the villas—they are fabulous. Each has a chef and a full staff. They are beautiful and private. They are in the process of building a spa and planning a golf course.

To contact Cyndy, click here. For more information about Caribbean travel, click here.

Turks and Caicos: Parrot Cay

Cyndy Stanford, Brownell travel consultant, is spending a week on Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. She will be at enjoying and number of properties and providing feedback for all of us! Read on for her reviews.

PARROT CAY

We arrived at Parrot Cay for the beginning of our Caribbean travels in Turks and Caicos. Parrot Cay is remote, quiet, and truly a unique type of retreat. It is nestled into lots of foliage, is dignified and quiet, and creates the feeling that it’s been there a long time. The food is excellent and the villas are beautiful. For those seeking a luxury beach vacation away from the tourists, Parrot Cay is a great spot. It would also be excellent for those looking for a retreat for wellness or rejuvenation. The solitude here is appealing to celebrities…Bruce Willis, Donna Karen, and Christie Brinkley have beautiful homes in a remote area of the resort!

Rooms in the hotel area are airy and attractive with tile floors, ceiling fans, and netted 4-poster king bed. Rooms have wonderful balconies that have a large 'day bed' and table and chairs. My only complaint is that I would have liked the bathrooms to be a little bigger, and certain rooms are better than others for AC and vents.

The modern and large SPA is amazing, with fabulous treatment rooms that have an oceanview. I had the best massage ever, and it was in a treatment room with a gorgeous view, a huge walk-in shower, jacuzzi tub, etc. The staff was excellent and very professional.

The restaurant is soothing and lovely with very good food. Overall, great experience!

To contact Cyndy, click here. To learn more about Brownell's Caribbean expertise, click here.

Heli-Hiking in the Bugaboos, Canada

Pascale LeJeune is a luxury travel consultant for Brownell Travel. Read below to learn more about Pascale and her recent adventure in Canada.

I just returned from a trip with CMH Canadian Mountain Holidays in the Bugaboos in Canada. It is definitely remote and it takes some time to get there but the views and the experience is unique and unforgettable. The helicopter dropped us off on a picturesque mountain ridge to begin our hike.

We hiked for 6 comfortable hours enjoying the scenery, nature, and our fellow companions. It was stunning--mountain ranges, beautiful and unique vegitation--we felt a 1,000 miles away from everything!

I was skeptic about trying on their own boot supply but was delighted with them, and wished I could take them home with me. Also being able to use their rain coats, daypack and rain pants give me less to pack and less to carry on the plane. I enjoyed hiking the entire time without worrying about my gear.

I highly recommend the experience, and I hope to return soon!

To learn more about Pascale LeJeune or Heli-Hiking, click here. To learn more about Brownell Travel, click here.

World's Top Travel Specialists!

Brownell Luxury Travel Consultants ranked as the best in six different travel specialties by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.

As Conde Nast puts it, these travel consultants have "unrivaled connections and destination savvy. For customized excellence, no online site can match them." Brownell is proud to announce Meg North, Marion Harbison, Margret Propper, Caroline Wood, and Linda Allen as our Conde Nast distinguished luxury travel consultants.

Meg McGriff North: Panama

Conde Nast has this to say about Meg: "North, who can pull strings with Panama's top resorts and inns, enjoys arranging exclusive experiences such as an 'up close and personal' view of the ships transiting the Panama Canal's locks--including a private tutorial on how the giant gates aer controlled--and a visit to a family-owned coffee farm where you can enjoy a brew that North calls 'the best coffee in the world'."Click here to contact Meg.

Marion Harbison: Germany

Conde Nast has this to say about Marion: "Harbison spends two weeks a year in her native Germany, where she used to be a travel agent. Not only can she point you toward the country's less-visited castles, regional specialty snacks, and colorful small-town festivals but she can get you into provate wineries and local events you won't find on the Internet."Click here to contact Marion.

Margaret Propper: Alaska and European River Cruises

Conde Nast awarded Margaret in two categories They had this to say about her Alaska travel expertise: "She's been to Alaska 42 times--and in every season of the year. She's driven the back roads, takent he scenic trains, flown on bush planes to remote Eskimo villages, sussed out the most atmospheric lodges and B&Bs, and tested a wide range of local adventure outfitters (for glacier dog-sledding, kayaking among the whales, hot-air ballooning, etc.) to determine which offer the most authentic experiences at the lowest price. She's also cruised on ships large and small, taken every shore excursion, and figured out the best ways to combine days at sea with days on land." Click here to contact Margaret.

Conde Nast had this to say about her experience in Europe's river cruises: "Propper, who once lived within walking distance of the Danube and is fluent in German, has spent the past decade cruising all of Europe's great rivers, from the Douro in Portugal to the Volga in Russia. She can find the waterway and boat best suited to your needs, advise you on how to spend days on land, and arrange unusual shore excursions, such as a visit to a private dacha in Russia." Click here to contact Margaret.

Caroline Wood: Rocky Mountains

Conde Nast has this to say about Caroline: "Having grown up in Yellowstone National Park with a dad who is still a seasoned ranger for the Park Service, Wood has incomparable knowledge of the driving routes, the lodges and ranches (and their views, beds, and meals), and the best locales and outfitters for horseback riding, white-water rafting, ballooning, or whatever other activities you've got in mind in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming." Click here to contact Caroline.

Linda Allen: Large Affordable Ships

Conde Nast had this to say about Linda: "Stretching your dollar as far as it can go is Allen's priority. What we love most is her honesty about potential drawbacks of each ship and her nifty tips for minimizing these and for saving money on board. Use Allen for Celebrity, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, and Royal Caribbean sailings." Click here to contact Linda.

Up and Coming Destinations

This morning, NBC's Today Show highlighted the best and most popular choices for world travel. Travel+Leisure Magazine's features editor revealed the winners for the World's Best Awards 2008. Check it out below.



Luxury travel consultants at Brownell are available to advise you on travel to any of these fantastic places!

For our expert in travel to Bangkok, please contact Meg North by clicking here.

For the best travel throughout the state of Montana, click here to contact Caroline Wood.

If you are looking to go to France and check out the fabulous luxury properties throughout the country, contact Bowden Sarrett by clicking here.

For our premier Caribbean specialist, see Becky Williams by clicking here.

Luxury Travel in Buenos Aires

Amy Lumpkin, a Brownell travel consultant, recently spent time in Buenos Aires at the Four Seasons Hotel. Read on to learn about her experience.

I arrived very very late into Buenos Aires as the result of lovely delays and cancellations. The Four Season driver arrived within 10 minutes of my arrival. As usual with Four Season, I was given a cool washcloth and bottle of water for the short ride from the domestic airport. When we pulled up to the Four Seasons, I was greeted with, “Welcome, Ms. Lumpkin, we know you are tired, so we have arranged to take you on to your room and you can check in there.” As it was 11:30pm and I had been traveling since 6:30am…the service was an extremely welcome touch.

The room was spacious and the bedding, of course, was luxurious…all done in whites and golds. The bathroom was large and fitted with robes and l’Occitane bath products. They left me a bottle of wine and a fruit plate. The hotel itself is grand, with dark woods and furniture in the public areas.

I met a guide in the morning and took a 3 ½ hour city tour. She was extremely knowledgeable and got me in and out of heavily populated areas without having to wait. She answered all my questions with ease and took me to places that I would have never thought about going. She left me, at my request, in the center area of Recoleta. I walked back to the hotel in less than 20 minutes.

Buenos Aires is a distinct South American city full of culture and life. It would be a great spot for family travel. Staying at the Four Seasons makes Buenos Aires a luxury vacation and spa resort destination—it was fabulous!

Brownell clients recieve special amenties due to our unique relationships with top luxury travel providers and properties. To learn more about travel with Brownell or experiencing Buenos Aires, contact Amy Lumpkin by clicking here or visit the Brownell website.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island

Cyndy Stanford, a Sterling Brownell Travel Consultant recently visited The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. Read on for her review of the property, service and ammenities.

My husband and I celebrated our 40th anniversary at The Sanctuary Resort, and it was 5-Star in every way. The resort staff made it a very memorable weekend for us and I'm confident they would do the same for all their guests celebrating a special occasion.

Public areas: The large lobby was nicely appointed with fresh flowers, lots of plush seating in small groups, high ceilings, big open fireplaces at each end, full ocean and lawn views, and a large comfortable lobby bar with piano music in the evenings. We witnessed two small weddings on their beautiful oceanview lawn. There are excellent meeting rooms all concentrated in one area so that groups don't interfere with couples, honeymooners or families.

Beach and pool: Gorgeous! There is a large family pool with a wonderful outdoor dining venue with a bar and lots of umbrellas for shade. There is also a separate adult pool that's oceanfront and catches a nice breeze. The staff is amazing - they bring you water without asking, bring lunch to your lounge chair if you like, supply suntan lotion if you've forgotten yours, and are always professional and friendly - never intrusive.

Accomodations: Outstanding! Large, with soft colors, Frette linens, robes, two closets with sensors for lighting, a large balcony overlooking the long coastal view and the ocean, individual heat/air control, wet bar with glasses, etc.

Bath: Lots of good lighting, double-vanity, a tub and a walk-in marble shower, toilet closes off, lots of fluffy whitetowels, and all-around lovely.

Spa: Tranquil, large, comfortable and well-run with friendly and genuine staff - nothing stuffy or snooty here - very relaxing with appropriately priced services.

Restaurants: Three great options. The Ocean Room and the Loggerhead Restaurant serve dinner. The breakfast buffet is excellent, and all the food we had at 3 of their restaurants was prepared well and delicious. The staff is outstanding - service always with a smile.

The Sanctuary is a destination in itself as there is golf, tennis, water sports and a cute village of shops, restaurants and a market. The entire Kiawah Island complex is gated with fabulous homes and condos and lots of natural low-country beauty. An elegant, inviting and perfect resort for families or couples.

Our clients receive breakfast daily, complimentary valet parking, and additional special amenities. If you're interested in learning more about Kiawah Island or The Sanctuary, click here to contact Cyndy.

Family Safari - Johannesburg and Alexandra Township

This post details the experience of Troy Haas, CEO of Brownell Travel, and his family during a 17-day Safari in East Africa. Troy, his children Amelia, Cottrell and Margret, take turns blogging about their "best vacation ever."

TROY: This was a hard day. Fascinating, moving, historical - and disturbing.
The first images of Jo'burg are its fortress walls. It seems every home has a high wall and barbed wire around it. You can tell when you are in the more affluent areas by the addition of manned security stations in private homes. Very somber.

Our guide for the day, however, brings this city and country to life. Robin has had several business careers before settling on a career teaching about his country. He clearly loves this city and country and its people, especially the people of the Alexandra township. A teeming low income (slum?) area right under the nose of the towers of the city, Robin brings Alexandra alive to visitors by introducing us to the vendors, preachers, orphans and entrepreneurs of the township. As the only white faces around, we feel self conscious but not unsafe. Robin clearly has respect here as a result of his work in the community starting soccer teams, helping orphans and others who are struggling. It is fascinating, but hard to ignore the poverty and conditions these residents have to deal with each day. However, it is the smiles, hugs and warmth of the residents that impresses us the most. This is the site of violence just weeks ago as the residents reacted to the Zimbabwe refugees in their midst, beating and killing those that they feel were threatening their livlihoods and support. As these residents are themselves not far removed from the oppression of Apartheid, the irony is hard to miss.

The Apartheid Museum and Lilliesleaf Farm Museum really bring home the story of the oppressive history of this country. From the Boer War to the end of apartheid, this country has a powerful history of oppression and division. It is a history that connects with us, as products of the American South and Birmingham. It is convicting and oddly freeing. We recognize the common history of hate in our two cultures. And we realize our story is not so unique, that the ability to oppress that which threatens is not unique to Birmingham and the South. The images, video clips of whites justifying their rule: it all is very familiar. Hard to watch.

We end our day in a lively and wonderful steak house in the suburb of Rosebank. The Grill House has hearty portions, very good wines by the glass and a lively atmosphere. Races mix and it seems perfectly normal. A fitting end to a day of difficult and fascinating touring.

Family Safari - Masai Mara Game Reserve

This post details the experience of Troy Haas, CEO of Brownell Travel, and his family during a 17-day Safari in East Africa. Troy, his children Amelia, Cottrell and Margret, take turns blogging about their "best vacation ever."

TROY: These parks are really all quite different. The lush grass (pre migration time) in the Mara is a very green contrast to the dry lakebed of Amboseli and the dusty warmth of Samburu. The Mara is also much larger, so it takes a bit more driving to find the game. But it is amazingly abundant! Zebra, various antelope, wildebeest, elephant and giraffe….all will be in an area together with a big predator that they are watching but not running from. The vehicles here are open sided, which is great. It does take getting used to having a lion 20 feet away, and no barrier between you, however. It is amazing how they don’t see you as prey if you are in the vehicle.

Olonana is a delightful place! Our tents are huge and luxurious, and the setting over the river and all the hippos is beautiful and serene. Except when the hippos start grunting, especially their morning wake up calls. The food here is the best yet, and we are again struck by the superb service and warm smiles of our African hosts.

COTTRELL (Age 17):
Editor's Note: The content of this post could be offensive to our sensitive readers. If you're not interested in the gruesome details (only a teenage boy could recount with such stomach-turning precision) of a true Darwinian experience, you may want to skip ahead to the next post!

When we ventured to Africa for a family vacation, there were many things this teenage boy wanted to witness, the top of the list being witnessing an animal hunt and kill another in the wild. I got everything I wanted to see and more. On the second day of our tour of the Masai Mara reservation, our guide Joseph woke us up at an unthinkable hour to take us to the other side of the park where the grass had been burned, allowing for short, fertile grass to attract grazers, and, most importantly, high visibility of cheetahs.

In just a few minutes after reaching cheetah territory we spotted a mother and daughter, strolling through the grasslands with all the animals in a 100 yard vicinity staring straight at them. We began to follow these cheetahs as they looked for an unsuspecting victim. As we mounted the hill about thirty feet behind them, we see the daughter perk up. She had spotted an sleeping Oribi antelope fifty feet away. The Oribi was awakened by its neighbor and leaped to run away... but it was too late. The cheetah was already accelerating to top speed. As they flew down into the valley about 75 yards away, the cheetah made first contact, but the Oribi had turned at the perfect moment to escape being form tackled... for the moment. With another quick burst of speed the cheetah locked onto the buttocks of the antelope and rolled with it to the ground. After quickly leaping to pin its throat, the mother began to eat the antelope's hind-quarters. Only ten minutes after beginning to eat, the vultures began to appear.

With one came three and with three came five until there were more than fifty vultures circling overhead and hopping around the mother and daughter. The daughter would have none of it. While the mother protected the kill, the daughter made a lunge at the vultures, instantly gaining respect, and allowing herself another five minutes of feasting. After the pair had their fill they finally relented and allowed the vultures to eat the corpse. The following ten seconds were unbelievable. The vultures swarmed and devoured almost the entirety of the corpse.

The next two events were my favorite. First, the large vulture picked up the left ear with his claw, snipped it off with its beak, and ate it in one gulp. The next event was, without a doubt, the most awesome thing I've ever seen that wasn't on a football field or involving bungie jumping. The vulture went straight for the eyeball. The vulture stabbed its beak into the socket, causing the eye to pop and shoot a geyser of eyeball...material flying in the air. After the rest of the body was picked clean, the vultures all flew away, leaving the body of the antelope that had been sprinting for its life 45 minutes before, totally unrecognizable.

Family Safari - Amboseli National Park

This post details the experience of Troy Haas, CEO of Brownell Travel, and his family during a 17-day Safari in East Africa. Troy, his children Amelia, Cottrell and Margret, take turns blogging about their "best vacation ever."

TROY (Age Witheld): We had a beautiful flight in, with awesome views of Mt. Kilamanjaro from the plane, peeking over the clouds. It was cool landing on a strip with game in view on the landing. Zebra and wildebeest were all around, so I was thankful the pilot buzzed the airfield first to be sure it was clear.

The afternoon game drive was our first real game experience. The elephants were a huge hit. We did not realize they were so funny! And the highlight of the afternoon was watching two lionesses stalking (not very effectively) a wildebeest who had separated from the herd. Tortilis Camp is lovely, and on the border of the park so it is quick to get in to see the game. The open air tents are amazing and allow you to hear the animal sounds at night. It is hard to believe the luxury of these tents. They are large, appointed with luxurious bedding and baths and porches for sitting out and napping in the afternoons on the daybeds. The vervet monkeys are a bit of a nuisance, and quite fearless. As I sat drinking coffee, one walked by me to open the zipper on our tent! They follow the room service staff with coffee and ‘biscuits’ (cookies) that are delivered early in the morning. MARGARET (Age 14): The elephants in Amboseli were hilarious. Most of the little ones were almost always playing and they are just learning to use their trunks and can’t use them to drink water with, so they have to dunk their faces in to drink. Therefore, most of the babies we saw were completely soaked. I really enjoyed watching them play fight and goof around. Some of the older ones got angry and mock attacked us which was a little scary and really exciting! The elephants were one of my favorite parts about the whole safari.