Wine and Spirits Travel

The weather was starting to warm up a bit in the Phoenix area of Arizona. Susan Campbell, a friend and fellow travel writer, and I were happy to keep the car parked while we enjoyed the scenery and learned more about the Sanctuary at Camelback . We were supposed to go on a hike in the morning, but my cold had turned into a sinus infection and walking steady was not my strong point. Susan did take off for a while and examine the breathtaking grounds of the property. I was not at a total loss as you didn’t have to walk far at the Sanctuary at Camelback to be blown away by the views. Breakfast was in the Elements restaurant, which is full of windows so we didn’t miss a moment of the mountains. The menu ranged from healthy, gluten-free and vegetarian, to slightly indulgent. Susan went for the eggs and bacon with an Arizona Sunrise Smoothie, while I had a decadent Brioche French Toast, with cherries, almonds and whipped mascarpone. After breakfast she headed to the poo

It was still a bit cold and rainy in Phoenix and my cold was lingering, but I was not going to let any of this keep me down. I started the day with a little yoga and some breakfast in the Executive Lounge at the Arizona Biltmore , and lots of positive thoughts. My friend and fellow travel writer Susan Campbell and I had planned this Arizona getaway to include three hotels. On day three, we left Arizona Biltmore and headed out to the Sanctuary at Camelback .  We made a stop first at the Homewood Phoenix Biltmore . It was a hotel we were going to also stay at, but in the end there weren’t enough nights. We toured there for a bit and found it to be even more comforting than many other Homewood properties I have stayed in. We arrived at the Sanctuary at Camelback at about 2:30 in the afternoon and were instantly impressed. The main building was very contemporary, with lots of glass and wonderful mountain views. Our Casita also had great views from the balconies, and a cute

The morning started with breakfast in the executive lounge at the Ocatilla section of the Arizona Biltmore . The selection rivaled many restaurant buffets. I sat down with my croissant, yogurt and fruit alongside Susan Campbell, my friend and fellow travel writer, and Becky Blaine of the Biltmore. Ocatilla was opened in 2009 as a preferred club for guests who wanted a more personalized experience. The section has its own pool and executive lounge, with access available for all staying in the building. Everyone also gets extra amenities, such as complimentary shoe shining, clothes pressing, coffee with your morning paper and a concierge available to you at all times. I was surprised to learn just how much American history was in this Waldorf Astoria property. It had been designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and owned by William Wrigley, giving this Phoenix hotel some Chicago ties. To further the connection, the Cubs have spring training in the area and baseball fans

A few months ago I wrote about the Stories Beat Stuff contest to win trips to New Zealand. The first phase of the competition is complete and now it’s time for Tourism New Zealand to get on to the second – and give away more trips. Things have gotten even more exciting as the prize value has increased from $20,000 to $30,000 and there are two more experiences for you to compete for. The key to the competition is how far you are willing to go for a trip of a lifetime. In this case, you need to make a video or take a picture explaining exactly what you would trade for that trip. Then, you need to get as many votes as possible. Ask your friends to help out too because you can bring three friends along on this trip at no cost to them! I’m really excited about this contest because I’m still planning a trip of my own to New Zealand. While I don’t have to trade anything for it, I’d love to hear more about what adventures I should add to my trip. Here are the two new ones added t