Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation

Ellen Craig is a luxury travel consultant with Sterling Brownell. She loves the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation. Read below for her review of this fabulous getaway.

A weekend away at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation is the perfect getaway to relax and recharge. The Lodge is located just 75 miles from Atlanta on 35 shoreline acres of beautiful Lake Oconee. Known worldwide for its 99 holes of championship golf, the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation will be hosting the Masters in 2009. Other attractions and activities include fishing, visiting antebellum towns, and much more. The hotel has been named among the "World's 500 Best Hotels" in Travel+Leisure Magazine in 2008, and is the recipient of the AAA Five-Diamond Award!

The accomodations are luxurious in true Ritz fashion. They include guest rooms and suites with resort and lake views, as well as 2 and 3 bedroom golf cottages, and a Presidential house. All rooms are outfitted with deep mahogany and cherry woods, featherbeds with fine cotton linens, marble baths and European bath essentials. Very luxurious!

The fitness and spa center is impressive, at 26,000 square feet of dedicated space. Club level is a wonderful option, offering private check-in, dedicated concierge, and exclusive access to the Club lounge with 4 light meal presentations throughout the day - the perfect place to relax, meet, and unwind.

Right now, Reynolds Plantation has exclusive offers for Sterling Brownell clients, including $150 resort credit or a complimentary BBQ Bulter, as well as special holiday packages and all kinds of wonderful amenities! Also, until October 25th, our clients recieve a free champagne cocktail cruise--you will cruise in style with champagne, wine or beer, cheeses, fruit, and chocolate fondue! I need to go back just to experience that! You can see the full list of offerings by clicking here.

I highly recommend Reynolds Plantation! It would be an ideal location for the holidays. Below is a picture of the "lighting of the lodge" that will take place this holiday season--it is so charming!

To book or learn more about Reynolds Plantation and the exclusive offers available, you can contact Ellen Craig by clicking here, or by visiting our site by clicking here.

Family Weekend in New York City

Debbie Fairvalley is the Director of Sales for Sterling Brownell. She knows the in's and out's of New York City and spent a special weekend there with her family over labor day. Read below for the highlights of her weekend!

This Labor Day weekend we took a couple of "first timers" to the BIG APPLE. Our kids, Wallis & Grant, just loved it!!! They were totally in "awe" from the moment we got into a "yellow" cab at the airport for the 30 minute ride across the bridge into Manahattan. Of course a 15 year old girl and a 13 year old boy have far different "highlights" of their experience. Wallis was enthralled with Fifth Avenue (and the sight of all the store windows prominently displaying "Gossip Girl" decorations) while Grant almost cried at the first view of Yankee Stadium!

We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel on Fifth Avenue, which proved to be a great location for walking to Central Park and shopping Fifth Avenue. We were also very close to subway for uptown and downtown touring.... The rooms was very large (for NYC) and had windows that actually OPENED! It was another highlight to watch TV from the tub looking out onto the spires of a beautiful cathedral and feeling the warm autumn air waft through our window. I would have been happy to stay there all day.....The colors are very soothing beiges & warm tones and the lighting is soft and subtle. We found it a very relaxing place to "come home to". The hotel spa and pool were under renovation but the rooftop lounge, Salon De Ning, offered a nice afternoon tapas & cocktail experience. This place is a "happening" spot after dinner until the wee hours of the morning with NYC hipsters chaise lounging and looking out over the lights of Manhattan. There is only 1 restaurant (not the focus, here) but you can easily walk to some of the best in the city.

A trip to the newly opened Sports Museum is a MUST for kids & teens (although JC & I enjoyed it as much as the kids). It is located near Ground Zero on Broadway and highlights every sport known to man. Grant was able to touch the Heismann Trophy (let's see if it brings him good luck in his middle school football season) and Wallis got a kick out of shooting "hoops" with the professional women's basketball team! This museum pays homage to sports and atheletes with wonderful photos, memoribilia, and virtual experiences. We planned on being there for an hour and realized 2 1/2 hours later, we needed to get going or we would miss the ACTUAL Yankee game.

We can now say we have experienced history. We caught a game in Yankee Stadium before it was demolished. The new stadium, right next door, is going to be fabulous....but I'll bet the hot dogs won't taste as good and I know the view past the outfield of those white turrets and the pennants flying won't be as awe inspiring.

Ah, and then there's the food. Little Italy, Chinatown, Tribeca, the Meat Packing District, so many restaurants and so little time! We did happen to eat at our favorite french bistro, Pastis, and grab some fab pizza @ Lombardi's in Little Italy. A morning walk from the hotel to Third Avenue also produced some of the best bagels and bially's I have ever tasted. And to top it all off, we happened to experience one of New York's famous street festivals on Madison Avenue on Saturday. They closed the entire street and vendors from food, arts, crafts, and musicians provided a true sense of what it is like to "live in the city".

Another "must do" is the Tenemant Museum on the Lower East side. This is the only original remaining true tenemant building in NYC. They do a wonderful job appealing to all ages with tours from a "family perspective". They trace several families back to the late 1800's and you can experience it through the age of the tenant as to what life was like back then. We ALL enjoyed it!

Shopping with a 15 year old on a budget is quite the experience anywhere, but in New York....the only place to go is SOHO and Canal Street. Wallis came home with several "designer" finds all under $100.00....so needless to say, she was the hit at school on Tuesday!

An appropriate finale to our wonderful weekend was a trip to Ellis Island and a night cruise around Manhattan! I had forgotten how truly majestic the Statue Of Liberty looks as the sun is setting. The kids really understood Ellis Island (enhanced by taking the audio tour) and were impacted by what our ancestors endured to come to the New World. I was so glad we could experience this as a family! A return to Manhattan by moonlight with millions of sparking lights made for a perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

We even got a genuine "thank you" from our children who were "ripped from their weekend with friends" to spend the time with Mom & Dad.

To learn more about travel in New York City, you can contact Debbie by clicking here. To learn more about Sterling Brownell, click here.

Private Yacht Charter: Girls Weekend!

Emily Menendez is the online editor for Brownell Travel and has just returned from a weekend girls getaway on a private yacht. Read below for her raving review of her time on the water.

Let's just say I am still pinching myself, not sure whether my weekend escape with the girls really took place. Forget luxury beach vacations and upscale spa resorts, private yacht charters are far and away the most incredible luxury vacation experience possible!

Last weekend, the seven of us, best friends from college, met up in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday night. The weekend was off to a good start already when somehow all of our flights, from all over the country, landed at the same time. We managed to cram into a cab to make the short drive down to the docks, where "My Girl," our luxurious weekend sanctuary, awaited us.

The captain and first mate, Barry and Chris, met us at the dock and took all of our luggage! We boarded the yacht to find margaritas and a delicious gourment meal waiting on us. I had to have a quick tour before sitting down to dinner...every room in the yacht was equisitly appointed with elegant fabrics and light maple hardwoods. The furnishings were beautiful, but not stuffy; rich, yet comfortable and inviting even when we were in our bathing suits the next day. There were four bedrooms in addition to the crew's quarters, and plently of living space as well as tons of deck space that would be perfect for lounging. I picked the room in the bow, situated perfectly for being rocked to sleep. The captain showed me everything I could possibly need in my room (complete with walk-in closet and a full bath)... dinner was unreal and finished off by my favorite, hommade peach cobbler--delicious!

The next morning we woke to the ship already well underway towards Miami. After an unbelievable breakfast feast, we doned our suites and sunscreen and headed out for a day of glorious soaking in the sun. The panaoramic views of Miami as we approached were stunning and we all felt a million miles away from resposibility!

After docking near South Beach, we took out the tender for a fast boat ride and tour of celebrity homes on star island. (The tender is a large ocean speed boat that travels alongside the yacht). Captain Barry took us all around the area for a good portion of the afternoon. We saw Key Biscayne, and anchored for a quick swim in the crystaline turquoise waters. The tour of star island was certainly a highlight--Madonna and Shaquille O'neals homes, among many others, are incredible. Shaq's is marked by a mini-shaq figurine sitting on the dock! Our time on the tender ended with some time on the open ocean, taking in the view of all of South Beach.

Appetizers that evening were heavenly--homemade salsa, crab cakes, jumbo grilled shrimp wrapped in procuitto. And dinner rivaled anything found in a five star restaurant, especially the homemade cheescake and berry sauce. We ate up and prepared for a night out on the town!

Sunday morning we all slept in after a late night in South Beach. We woke up to yet another delicious breakfast--homemade blueberry pancakes. Some of us spent the rest of the day checking out the cars cruising along Ocean Drive, but I opted for taking out the jet ski. Perhaps the highlight of the entire trip was this jetski---the lamberguini of of jetskis--it was incredible! Emily B. and I took it out for an hour, jumping waves in the open ocean and checking out the sites in the bay around Miami.

Afternoon came too quickly, and it was time to catch my flight. The crew of the My Girl had arranged for a complementary private car transfer to the airport. What a wonderful weekend and fabulous way to spend quality time with dear friends! We were waited on hand and foot, and the crew was absolutely delightful! Anything we wanted to do or see or drink or eat--anything was possible...what a weekend escape!

To learn more about private yacht charters, contact Alice Durkee or Meg North. To learn more about unique travel opportunities, contact any of our luxury travel consultants by visiting our website.

Adventure in Africa: Namibia

Sally May is a luxury travel consultant for Brownell Travel. She has recently traveled throughout Africa, and highlights her time spent in Namibia below. Read on for details of her extraordinary travel experiences.


















My latest adventure took me, Meg and Bill North, Martha Gaughen, and Vicki Upchurch to Namibia, in Southern Africa. It was an experience of a lifetime, and I loved spending it with dear friends and fellow travel lovers!


Before reaching Namibia, we landed in Johannesburg and stayed at the Saxon Hotel. Robin Binkes, our guide extraordinaire, joined us for a delicious dinner. (We took him some cowboy boots from the good ole’ American west—they went over well!) The following day, Meg, Martha and I enjoyed fantastic spa treatments. Martha opted for the “rain goddess” treatment, while Meg and I had foot reflexology. We would be thankful for this with all the activity and exercise to come!

Upon reaching Namibia, a group of 8 of us traveled in a Sole Use Caravan, the most convenient and luxurious way to cover large distances. We traveled with Keith Vincent, the CEO of Wilderness Safaris, who rolled out the red carpet for our group.

In Windhoek, we stayed in Hotel Heintzburg, which is in Relais Chateaux, a magnificent castle. Delectable dinner was served in the wine cellar.

In Little Kulala in the Sossusvlei area, I slept under the stars in a sky bed (complete with hot water bottle). This is an experience unlike any other---I was under the Southern Cross, watching shooting stars and the Milky Way—breathtaking! While in this area, we also climbed dunes in Namib Park and hiked to see ancient Bushman rock art.

We spent a brief time in Swakopmund, a cute German town on the Pacific Ocean. It stands out in my mind for friendly people and great shopping. We ate at Tug restaurant.

Next was Serra Cafema, a 3 hour flight from Swakopmund plus a 45 min drive from the airstrip. It is very remote, on border of Angola. The grasses were high and the desert was especially beautiful because of the Angolan fall rains. Vibrant color covers the vast remote land—it is breathtaking. We had a Himba guide named Steve. His story is remarkable; he wanted to work for Wilderness Safaris but had no means to contact them or travel to their headquarters. So, his Mom sold a goat so he could buy a phone card. He called Wilderness every day requesting a job interview, and when he was finally granted one, he hitchhiked for 2 days to get there. We were so thankful for his tenacity—he was an excellent guide.

Namibia is quite different from other Africa destinations and filled spectacular scenery, remote nomadic tribes and exquisite hotels. The Himba tribes (only about 12.000 left) are still semi- Nomadic and living in traditional mud and dung huts in the middle of the desert. They have kept their beautiful traditions, leading a pastoral life tending goats and cattle. Once the women reach puberty, they put a mixture of ochre& fat on their bodies for protection from the sun, which gives them a rich red appearance. This red appearance also symbolizes the earth and life-giving blood, central parts of their belief system. They never bathe, but spend hours each morning on grooming. The rich redness is seen as beautiful and they adorn themselves with intricate jewelry and fashionable hair designs. Of course we were fascinated with them and visited them three times. We loved immersing ourselves in another culture, and learned a lot from the Himba people.
















While in this area, we rode quad bikes (an experience in and of itself!) We rode them through the dunes in the desert and also rode into the Himba village to watch the goats come back into the village at dusk. The baby goats followed us instead of the Himba and we botched their entire feeding process! It was total mayhem, but they were still smiling—I think they got a kick out of us.

































Our time in Namibia concluded with a sunrise champagne breakfast, as we watched the sun come up over the Kunene River which divides Namibia and Angola. It was a memorable and fitting end to a trip full of magnificent scenery and incredible cultural experiences.


To learn more about travel through Africa, contact Sally May by clicking here. To learn more about Brownell travel experiences, click here.

Caribbean Delight: Little Dix Bay

Katherine Gould is a luxury travel consultant for Sterling Brownell. Read below for highlights of her luxury beach vacation and her wonderful review of Little Dix Bay.

I recently traveled with my husband to Little Dix Bay on the gorgeous island of Virgin Gorda in the Caribbean. Virgin Gorda is a part of the British Virgin Islands and is only accessible by boat. I flew into nearby Tortola, which is where the staff from Little Dix Bay picked us up and escorted us on a beautiful boat ride to the resort.

Little Dix Bay was recently renovated, and I'd been hearing that the improvements were extensive and spectacular in every way. After spending one week there, I couldn't agree more! The grounds, accommodations, staff, food and spa were truly exceptional.

I was fortunate enough to stay in one of the luxurious Rosewood Suites. The bathroom was particularly outstanding due to its large size, and my husband and I spent many evenings sitting on our spacious patio overlooking the water.

The beach on property is a quintessential Caribbean beach - white sand, calm and clear water, thatched umbrellas, etc. Additionally, the staff was attentive and gracious. I also found the food to be quite good, with a wide array of cuisine offered on a daily basis.

It's not just great rooms, a beautiful beach and good food that set Little Dix Bay apart, however. The facilities were really amazing as well. The fitness room was the largest and best equipped of any I've seen in the Caribbean, and the spa is truly something to behold. Set on a cliff overlooking the water, it offers a wide array of services for its guests. My favorite moment at the spa was taking a yoga class outside by the infinity pool. Feeling the warm tropical breezes and hearing the waves crash below was an experience I won't forget. Also worth mentioning is the Children's Grove, Little Dix Bay's facility for its youngest guests. It's set amongst a grove of mahogany trees and is truly incredible. With over 2500 sq. feet of space offered, it is cheerfully decorated and sure to delight children of all ages with a wide range of offered activities.

Should guests want to venture off property, Little Dix Bay can arrange a variety of excursions. My husband and I took advantage of an island drop-off adventure. A staff member took us to a remote part of the island by boat, dropped us off on the beach with a delicious picnic lunch and came back to return us to the hotel a few hours later. We enjoyed some fantastic snorkeling and loved the feeling of having a beach to ourselves. A trip to the world famous Baths of Virgin Gorda was very memorable as well. Snorkel trips, sunset cocktail cruises, and day trips to neighboring islands are just a few examples of other types of excursions guests can choose to do.

Rosewood is the company who manages Little Dix Bay, and they are clearly doing an amazing job. To stay at this resort is worth every penny in my opinion and promises to leave those lucky enough to have experienced it with a serious longing to return. Whether you're celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary, looking for a great family get-away or just needing some time to unwind with loved ones, Little Dix Bay is a great choice for your next tropical vacation!

To learn more about travel in the Caribbean from Katherine, click here. To learn more about Sterling Brownell, click here.

Yoga Spa Weekend in Connecticut

Kitty Armstrong is a luxury travel consultant for Sterling Brownell. She enjoys yoga and has recently had a fantastic yoga and spa experience in Connecticut. Read below for her review of a truly unique spa resort. I've just returned from a Yoga Spa weekend at Winvian, a sprawling colonial estate outside of Litchfield, CT. Winvian is an elite novelty retreat with a collection of idiosyncratic cottages where guests can sleep in a tree house, stable, or numerous other choices-- even one accomodation with a helicopter! Every cottage has high tech conveniences and every amenity you could possibly want.

Winvian has many choices for both relaxing and having fun. There are plenty of outdoors activities for those who need fresh air, and a great fitness gym.

The spa is superb & enclosed in a beautifully decorated building. The building sits in a picturesque field, and the yoga classroom is surrounded with windows, giving it a fresh feel.
Other highlights included the food, which was magnificent! It is prepared by the chef trained under Ducasse. Also, a fully-stocked open bar in the main house helps create a very "make yourself at home" feel. The service was excellent and discreet throughout the entire weekend, and the attention to every detail rounds out this excellent experience. It was refreshing in every way!

To contact Kitty Armstrong or learn more about spa resort getaways, click here. To learn more about Sterling Brownell, click here.