Favorite Getaways

Spring 2004 Issue

By Leslie Atkins

Perhaps because I am a travel writer, people like to ask me about my favorite places, and then wait for me to impart the secret of great travel.

In truth, my favorite place is the next place I plan to visit. The allure of travel, the excitement, and the challenge comes from my going someplace new and previously unexplored. It doesn’t matter if millions of people have already discovered the place. It is an adventure if I’ve never before been there. Even well-traveled places can hold this charm if they are ever-changing like Las Vegas, NV, or inevitably new like New York City.

Then there are the unmarked spots like Madrid, NM, or Las Vegas, NM (much less traveled than its Nevada namesake), or Paris, VA.

Wherever you choose to go, you always learn something about yourself. Part of the experience is creative — you can choose where to sleep, where and what to eat, whether to window-shop or buy, and even whether to visit a river, a museum, or the ruins of a castle on a hill. You also get to choose with whom you talk, or if you bother talking with anyone at all, or if you chat with everyone you see.

Unencumbered in Tucson

Spread out over a 500-square-foot valley surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson , AZ , is a dream. With its strong Spanish, Mexican, and Native American heritage, along with more than 300 days of sunshine, Tucson is clearly among the best destinations in the desert Southwest.

To make the most of a stay at Miraval or Canyon Ranch — two of the top destination spas in the United States — it is advisable to arrive in Tucson a day or two early. Plan on making the most of this extra time to relax and adjust from jet lag, or skip the spas altogether and just go experience Tucson. It is so beautiful, situated as it is between the different mountains, and it feels as though you are on a movie set — the effect is so unreal. As you drive from the airport to the Arizona Inn, Tucson appears sort of soft around the edges. Each day you go outside and look around, it still seems unbelievable.

The historic Arizona Inn is perfect for a night or two, or a week or two, or even a month or two — for it quickly becomes a home. The Inn is a charming place that will help you appreciate Tucson. Now owned by Patty Doar, it was started in the Depression by her grandmother, Congresswoman Isabella Greenway — the first congresswoman from Arizona and a close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Greenway founded a furniture factory, The Arizona Hut, in 1927 to give jobs to disabled World War I veterans living in Tucson. Two years later, on the heels of the 1929 stock market crash, the furniture factory was in financial trouble. So, Greenway built the Arizona Inn to create demand for the furniture and to keep the factory open. Even today, the furniture is still used in the guest rooms and public spaces of the Inn.

Greenway’s granddaughter, Patty Doar, is an elegant, classy proprietress who is a hands-on manager while retaining her calm, friendly manner. Expertly run, the Arizona Inn is all pink with manicured grounds, excellent dining, superb service, and well-appointed rooms (many of which have private patios). There’s also an enticing pool, clay tennis courts, a pianist performing nightly, and lots of history and family heirlooms.

Dining choices are varied enough to keep you interested for several days, plus service is terrific and the ambiance is semi-formal, yet relaxed. Afternoon tea is even served in the Inn’s library.

While in Tucson, it is also worthwhile trying the unusual Mexican fare at Café Poca Cosa, which is owned by chef Suzana Dávila. Although there are hundreds of Mexican restaurants in Tucson (since it is only an hour from the border, that is not surprising), this one specializes in more elaborate fare. Customers don’t go there to have a taco or an enchilada. There are many regions in Mexico boasting dishes unique to those regions, and this restaurant features upscale Mexican fare from throughout Mexico.

The chalkboard menu changes daily, and you can never be sure of getting the same dish twice. What you can be sure of is a wonderful culinary experience that will expand your appreciation for Mexican cuisine. The restaurant is quite noisy, so don’t expect to have a business meeting or a romantic conversation. Just expect to have great food.

Another enjoyable excursion is to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which is really a combination outdoor habitat and zoo. There, you can learn about rattlesnakes and coyotes, mountain lions and wolves — always good knowledge to have.

Indulgence in Manhattan

We tend to think of New York City as defined by the streets of Broadway for theater, Wall Street for finance, and Fifth Avenue for fashion. Manhattan also provides a tremendous number of luxurious options for everything else — from limousines for transportation to 24-hour butler service at a five-star hotel. Then there are upscale spas and salons, shops, and entertainment of almost every kind imaginable.

At Hôtel Plaza Athénée, I was told to consider the hotel my home away from home. What a warm, inviting notion, for the small, East Side hotel is charming and accessible. Within five blocks of midtown, it has all the appeal of the Upper East Side with its quiet, residential streetscapes, dining options, and stores on nearby Madison Avenue.

Located on East 64 th Street between Madison and Park, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée makes me feel like a member of the cast of “Sex In The City.” This is a quiet, wealthy part of Manhattan where the women walk around wearing expensive (and seemingly uncomfortable, but sexy) shoes to match their designer clothes.

In the hotel itself, the rooms and suites are comfortable and roomy, the service is impeccable, and the comfort is ever-present but never ostentatious. Hôtel Plaza Athénée deserves its place as a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, an organization of 400 of the world’s most outstanding luxury hotels and resorts.

Also in New York, is the super indulgent St. Regis with its 24-hour butler service. When I heard about the butler service, I was somewhat intimidated. Within a few minutes of checking in, however, I learned to love the idea of calling for a cup of tea, for a Band-Aid, or for assistance with a bracelet clasp. I found I could really get used to living this way. In fact, I went to the St. Regis after attending a busy conference at another New York City hotel. I basically stayed inside the St. Regis for a couple days of unwinding — the room was lovely, the restaurant downstairs delightful, the small, intimate spa in the hotel of high quality. What’s not to like?

Located on East 55 th Street at Fifth Avenue, the St. Regis is an imposing structure in a wonderful part of Manhattan. Inside, it is truly a haven. Originally built 100 years ago by Colonel John Jacob Astor IV, he wanted it to be a hotel where his guests would feel as comfortable as if they were staying in a private home. Colonel Astor died on the Titanic in 1912, but the St. Regis continues to provide every possible comfort to its guests.

If you want a more elaborate spa than the small one at the St. Regis, you can visit New York City’s day spa version of the exclusive Dallas spa, The Greenhouse, with its Zen-like atmosphere, minimalist décor, phenomenal therapists, and gracious catering to high-maintenance types. This is a high-end spa for executive women who work and vacation, a day spa that seems like a destination spa — quiet, soundproofed and calming.

Breakfast is well spent at Norma’s, in the lobby of Le Parker Meridien Hotel on West 57 th Street. Seven kinds of French toast; Banana-Macadamia Nut Flap Jacks; various types of waffles, pancakes and eggs; Irish oatmeal; Red Berry Risotto “Oatmeal” — the list goes on and on and you can have breakfast seven days a week until 3 p.m.! This is my kind of breakfast; I can sleep late and still have breakfast food, or get up early and shop, or go to the spa, and then eat a big breakfast for lunch. The only thing better would be if they served breakfast food for dinner.

For those who like New York, tennis and summertime, it doesn’t get any better than the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows (Queens), NY, near Shea Stadium (the Mets), and easily accessible from Manhattan by car or subway. Buy tickets for at least two days in case the weather gets iffy one day (it does rain and get chilly, even in late August and early September, so bring a jacket) and wander around this wonderful tennis complex.

There’s great food, world-class male and female athletes, enthusiastic fans with an intense appreciation for athletic prowess and, of course, the civilized game of tennis mixed with a special brand of New York passion. Don’t miss the side courts where some of the lesser-known athletes compete; the matches there are more intimate than the big-name matches at the Arthur Ashe, Louis Armstrong, and Grandstand stadiums.

Port City Getaway

Baltimore has character, so much character, above and beyond Barry Levinson’s portrayals in the movies. This is a real hometown, a port city that figured in both the War of 1812 and the Civil War, a city that prides itself on sports — the Orioles and the Ravens — and on education – Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Medical and Law Schools.

It is a city where water is pronounced “warder” and waitresses call everyone “hon.” A traditionally blue-collar town with a new sophistication. A place where there is a good opera company and symphony, and yet, everyone loves to sit outside and eat messy steamed crabs covered in Old Bay Seasoning. It’s worth noting that in a survey conducted last year, Baltimore ranked 13 th in the top “most fun” cities in America.

Everyone thinks of the Inner Harbor when they think of Baltimore, and of Camden Yards where the Orioles play in a wonderful open-air stadium. While these are, indeed, part of the Baltimore experience, there’s much more.

That’s why I recommend the Peabody Court Hotel with its wonderful view of Mt. Vernon Square, especially at night, and its walking-distance proximity to the delightful Walters Art Gallery. If you like a lively nightlife, I’d recommend a stay at the Admiral Fell Inn in the historic Fell’s Point waterfront community. Both of these hotels are somewhat quirky, but they are comfortable and friendly, and they give a different view of the city than the hotels at the Inner Harbor.

While in Baltimore, take the opportunity to dine at Charleston, owned by Chef Cindy Wolf and her husband. Cindy Wolf captures a hint of Baltimore flavor and mixes it with Low Country cooking from the Carolinas and classic French techniques. The result is intriguing, and the restaurant has become a place to be and be seen.

(A bit of women’s history: King Edward VIII gave up the throne of England for the woman he loved, Baltimore’s Wallis Warfield Simpson. In reverse, Jerome Bonaparte (brother of Emperor Napoleon I of France) gave up Baltimore’s Betsy Patterson to become King of Westphalia.)

Luxury in Florida

The Breakers in Palm Beach is the epitome of luxury. The guests and the employees are charming, friendly, down-to-earth, and relaxed. Perhaps this good spirit is fostered by The Breakers’ tendency to do things for you before you even know you want them done.

With the Atlantic Ocean literally right outside, the strength of the water and waves lending drama to the setting, with the exquisite European-style, church-like reception and lobby areas, with white sand and manicured golf courses, impeccable tennis courts and luxurious shopping, fine food, exercise, and great weather, there’s not much to dislike.

The Breakers offers a purely exquisite dining experience, whether you go five minutes off site to the resort-owned Echo restaurant, or stay on site at L’Escalier with its modern French cuisine.

Echo combines the flavors of various Asian nations. It is an excellent dining choice, with entrees like duck and grouper and such desserts as a chocolate soufflé or an Asian study of chocolate.

Dinner at L’Escalier begins with complimentary amuse-bouches — “amusements for the mouth” — and ends with a visit from the fromager — a cheese specialist — and his cart of wonderful cheeses and fruit; in-between is wonderful, and at the very end, after the cheeses, are the sweet desserts.

The Boca Raton Resort & Club also does a good job of everything. This resort is gracious and beautiful, with some of its rooms overlooking the resort’s marina on the Intracoastal Waterway, plus the superb Spa Palazzo, with its 44 treatment rooms and the highest-level facials and massages. Golf, tennis, shops, three fitness centers, six pools, and a half-mile private beach — all offer much to do. You can eat lunch overlooking the golf links or drink cappuccino at the lobby coffee shop. If you’re so inclined, there’s even a great little jewelry store in the lobby.

Both The Breakers and the Boca Raton Resort & Club are members of The Leading Hotels of the World.

Lake Michigan Escapes

The Four Seasons Chicago always has wonderful views of Lake Michigan. Now, they have a special “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” package. You can go with one or more of your friends, stay in a luxurious room, watch a chick flick, eat chocolate-covered strawberries, get your make-up done at Neiman Marcus, receive clothing advice from a personal shopper, and shop all along the Magnificent Mile. The concierge also can customize your stay with tickets to the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” treatments at the spa, or yoga classes.

Further up Lake Michigan , the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee , WI , is another elegant and sophisticated getaway. The hotel’s indulgence package is not just for women, but the options include manicures, pedicures, wine and flowers. There is an extensive art collection in the hotel, as well as afternoon tea. The Pfister opened in 1893 and originally included a ladies’ billiard room and parlor, and a gentlemen’s lounge, billiard room, and smoking lobby. Times have changed, but back then, men were allowed to enter the ladies’ areas, but women were forbidden access to the men’s areas.

Top Secret Washington, DC

If you believe what they tell you at the relatively new International Spy Museum, there are lots of spies wandering around the nation’s capital. After going through the interactive exhibits, you leave the museum more observant and suspicious of everyone who appears to be loitering.

The role that women have played in espionage is well documented at the museum (along with the role played by men), with exhibits covering the exploits of Mata Hari, Chef Julia Child, and Singer Josephine Baker, among others.

At the well-stocked gift shop, I bought a refrigerator magnet that warns: “Beware of Female Spies. Women are being employed by the enemy to secure information from Navy men, on the theory that they are less liable to be suspected than male spies. Beware of inquisitive women as well as prying men…” Words to live by!

Also worth visiting, as always, is the Lincoln Memorial, with its huge statue of Abraham Lincoln, the words of the Gettysburg Address, and the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.

My other favorite is the FDR Memorial, especially at twilight. From the FDR Memorial, you can gaze out across the Tidal Basin at the Washington and Jefferson Memorials. Four outdoor galleries pay homage to the former president, and there is also a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt commemorating her role as First Lady, as well as her later work as a U.N. delegate and champion for human rights.

The National World War II Memorial will open Memorial Day weekend this year, and two of the city’s best hotels — The Willard InterContinental and the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC — are among the numerous DC lodgings that have special packages during the 100-day, summer-long tribute, “America Celebrates the Greatest Generation.”

(Another bit of women’s history: As more men were called to service during World War II, the Willard hired the first female bell captain and employed six “girl” elevator operators.)

Here’s to an enjoyable getaway!

Leslie Atkins is an award-winning feature writer who specializes in travel, sports, health, business, and fitness topics. The owner of LA Communications, LLC, a Washington, DC-based public relations and editorial services firm, she can be contacted at 202-223-1865 (e-mail: LAtkinsCom@aol.com).

(This article is reprinted from the Spring 2004 edition of Enterprising Women magazine. Copyright 2004 Enterprising Women Inc.  Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited, except by express permission of the publisher.)