By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Quincy-based Magellan Jets is offering luxury flights in private planes to the Super Bowl in New Orleans Feb. 3. Flying private is a great way to go – if you’ve got the money, and enough friends to share the cost. Out of New York, for example, the five-hour flight to The Big Easy runs $52,748 on a 12-seater. Magellan officials say the Super Bowl is one of the biggest demand events for private jets throughout the year: Last year, more than 1,100 private planes flew to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, almost double what flew into Dallas the year before.

The biggest draw of flying private is skipping delays at airports, flying to a private airport in New Orleans, picking your own arrival and departure times and going direct from wherever you are. Magellan also has flights from Maryland for $44,642 and San Francisco for $81,117. Magellan is also hosting a dinner with their clients Friday night, open to anyone who flies Magellan to the event. The company is offering membership rates for the Super Bowl, a fixed price offering only to members. The plane used is a G-450 12-seat aircraft.

Magellan is a growing company. Last fall, it bought California-based SkyBridge Private Air, and opened an office in San Francisco, which company CEO Joshua Hebert said "is an exciting development for Magellan, which has traditionally catered to executives doing business trips and road shows," and that a West Coast presence will put the company "closer to the growing number of tech companies in Silicon Valley."

Hebert said the company also gives back to the community. Last fall, its "Experience to Excel" program gave a trip to a Boston-area family, a trip on a private jet to Albany for a four-day vacation at Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Water Park, with Magellan picking up the tab, and ground transportation donated by Prism Livery.  Magellan has also donated annual private jet trips for The Beckett Bowl, a charity bowling event hosted by The Josh Beckett Foundation, where most proceeds go to Boston Children's Hospital. 

For more information on Magellan Jets, visit www.magellanjets.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Call it barefoot chic: At the new Beach House Turks and Caicos, slated to open Oct. 22 as Grace Bay's first boutique hotel, "No Socks Allowed" signage will be found on specialty items throughout, reminding guests to kick off their shoes and socks and relax. Beach House has 21 one- and two-bedroom suites (each a minimum 1,150 square feet) with what hotel officials call interior designs melding Caribbean with New England, showcasing crisp whites and blue hues. French doors frame views of the expansive beach and open to oversized patios that have daybeds. Suites also have culinary nooks where private chef dinners and surprise treats can be placed in the refrigerator.

The hotel also has a 90-seat Beach House Restaurant, run by Chef Eric Vernice, a native of France, who has created eight-course meals. According to hotel folks, menus will focus on one item, such as lobster, a unique spice or a country, with each course more unique than the last, paired with wines and cocktail teasers.

If it sounds pricey, it is: Nightly rates run from $532 to $1,038 on weekends and holidays, with special rates available in shoulder seasons. For more information, visit www.beachhousetci.com or call 855-946-5800.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Affinia Manhattan in New York City is offering a "Miracle on 31st Street" holiday package, Nov. 1 through Feb. 26, with rates starting at $209 per night. The hotel is located at 7th Avenue and 31st Street, and the package includes a VIP ice-skating package for two at Bryant Park; 10-percent off your tab at Celsius Restaurant at Bryant Park; a free bottle of wine; 20 percent off holiday dinner at Niles NYC Restaurant and Bar at the hotel; a Macy's 10-percent off savings pass; two winter "rescue kits" with lip balm, ear warmers, hand sanitizer and hand warmers; and an in-room DVD of the classic film, "Miracle on 34th Street."

Affinia Manhattan recently underwent a $25 million redesign with Rockwell Group, transforming the historic, pre-war property into what hotel officials called an urban retreat. Check it all out at www.affinia.com/miracle, or call 866-246-2203 and mention promotion code 31st.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

I've probably driven up and down Memorial Drive in Newport a million times, and have long heard of the upscale Chanler at Cliff Walk, but never put two and two together and realized the Chanler was so close to Cliff Walk. OK, so it's smack dab on Cliff Walk, but my reason for not knowing that is a big one: It is completely hidden behind a giant hedge, affording it remarkable privacy and quiet despite being steps away from one of Newport's busiest streets. Set back on a cobblestoned drive, it is a magnificent building, loaded with charm, elegance and a pretty neat history: Built in 1865 as a summer home for New York Congressman John Winthrop Chanler and his wife, Margaret Astor Ward, it was the first mansion built on Cliff Walk and hosted the likes of President Theodore Roosevelt and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was later a museum and then a girls' school before becoming a hotel in the 1940s.

We had the occasion to stay there one night and got the Empire Room; each of the 14 mansion rooms in the main building are decorated and named for an historical period based on the furniture design and architecture of that time, themed from Gothic to English Tudor to Greek Revival. One of the many beauties of this place is no two rooms are alike. And throughout, some of the furnishings from the Chanler Museum are sprinkled throughout. There are also three separate garden villas and three ocean villas.

Our Empire Room in the mansion was gorgeous, on a corner facing Easton's Beach and Cliff Walk. The room had a sizable living room with a two-person Jacuzzi on the far wall, which doesn't exactly befit the historical period on which the room is based, but was a very relaxing respite after a long stroll on Cliff Walk. Here, for an extra cost, a butler will come in while you're at dinner, run the bath and leave rose petals strewn about, and lighted candles surrounding the tub set in a mirrored alcove. A more romantic setting we could not imagine.

The fireplace mantel is of antique slate, taken from a mansion in Michigan and painted to look like granite. Empire decor, inn officials said, often used a faux treatment of materials to look like granite or marble. Several antique tiles with figures on them in ochre and lime green are embedded into the mantel, making it more unique and interesting. The room itself is unique; being on the corner, the ceiling height varies from corner to center, from around six feet to more than eight, with a stained-glass skylight in the ceiling. The room's feel is decidedly Victorian but with modern touches such as a triple-head shower in the gold-hued granite bathroom, and iHome docking station.

The main culinary draw is the Spiced Pear, a restaurant with incredible ocean views, some of the best in Newport, and cuisine to match. Give the Spiced Pear martini a shot, with Absolut pear vodka, Amaretto DiSaronno, pear nectar, cinnamon and lemon juice. We also had local chilled oysters, wild burgundy escargot, Narragansett Bay striped bass and the menu's highest priced item, the exquisite butter-poached Maine lobster for $42, worth every melt-in-mouth cent. Before and/or after a meal like that, a long jaunt down nearby Cliff Walk is almost a necessity. Or you could wait until the next day, because breakfast here is insane, too; check out the salmon and goat cheese omelet.

We retired to the bar of hand-rubbed mahogany for a nightcap before heading back to the room where that rose-petal strewn tub awaited, and got more proof of how renowned the Chanler is: The following weekend, it would be closed to the public, privately booked for the wedding of the creator of the Facebook logo. And yes, Mark Zuckerberg was scheduled to attend.

Newport used to go to sleep in the off season, but no more. At the Chanler, a fall two-night special ($425 per night) includes full breakfast, a bottle of Spiced Pear sparkling wine, two tickets to a Newport mansion of your choice, and one, three-course meal for two in the Spiced Pear. Wait until winter and you can get the two-night "A Chanler Christmas," ($375 per weekday night, $430 per weekend night), available Nov. 28-Dec. 29 which gets you the same as the fall special, minus the bottle of wine; instead you get a minted Chanler Christmas ornament. All prices include room taxes, food taxes and dinner gratuity. And if you want to check out other parts of the city, you can get a free ride any place in Newport, up until 11 p.m., first come, first served. Check it out at www.thechanler.com

All that behind a hedge? I have to start paying attention where I'm going.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The historic Weekapaug Inn in the Westerly village of Weekapaug is re-opening in October, after being closed since 2007 to undergo a $20 million renovation and expansion. The inn, set alongside Quonochontaug Pond and beyond that, the Atlantic, is launching an introductory "Prelude" package with 30-percent savings this fall and winter. The package at the four-seasons inn, which now has amenities such as heated bathroom floors, runs from Oct. 7 through April 15, and includes 30 percent off the best available rate; a one-category upgrade based on availability at arrival; a $50 resort credit for us at Weekapaug Inn or any restaurant outlet or spa service at Ocean House at Watch Hill, the sister property of the inn; and daily breakfast.

By Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

In Great Britain, afternoon tea is a tradition, a relaxing way to recharge the body's batteries while savoring a three-tiered silver tray usually laden with three-bite sandwiches; scones ready to lavished with clotted cream and jam; and exquisite pastries and chocolate bonbons.

While gadding about on a BritRail pass, I used afternoon tea as a way to immerse in the United Kingdom's rich heritage and indulge in five-star experiences, without coughing up $500 or more for a hotel room. Almost anyone willing to ante up 15 quid (about $30) can do the same. Even better for the budget bound, afternoon tea can substitute for a late lunch or an early dinner. I experienced each of these properties simply by sipping afternoon tea. You can, too.

The Arch, London: On the exterior, these seven Georgian townhouses facing Great Cumberland Place appear quite ordinary and stiff upper lip British. But inside this five-star boutique hotel, just a couple of blocks from Hyde Park and Oxbridge Street and across from Madonna's London pad, designers let loose with contemporary vigor, vibrant colors and patterns, and original works by emerging British artists.

After a boutique binge in Marylebone or along Oxford Street (where you might get lucky and see Princess Kate), celebrate your finds over afternoon tea in the casual yet chic Library, where you can thumb through art books, or in the tony Le Salon de Champagne, with its champagne ceiling mural, modern armchairs, and secluded leather banquettes. Be sure to wander the public rooms to check out all the art - and see who might be lounging about.

Bodysgallen Hall, Llandudno, Wales: The stone pine tree in front of Bodysgallen Hall, one of three historic hotels owned by The National Trust, is approximately 600 years old. The hotel's oldest section was built in the late 13th century as a guard tower for Conwy castle. Over the centuries, it's expanded to a 220-acre estate with wooded parklands and an exquisite, private, 20-acre formal garden, dating from 1678.

Book afternoon tea and be rewarded with a double treat: Experiencing Bodysgallen both inside and out. Sit in the entrance hall or upstairs drawing room, both with elaborate fireplaces, magnificent oak paneling, and stone mullioned windows. Request a copy of the historical brochure from the front desk, and browse through the history while sipping and nibbling. Afterwards, mosey through the other public rooms. Having tea entitles you to explore the gardens and parklands, usually reserved for overnight guests. Highlights include a rare 17th-century herb-filled boxed hedge parterre, rockery with a water cascade, walled rose garden, several follies, and 17th-century Terrace Walk with views to Conwy Castle and Snowdonia.

Plas Maenan Country House, Maenan, Wales: After a day poking around the Conwy Valley countryside, finish up with tea at James and Caroline Burt's masterfully restored Edwardian manor house overlooking Snowdonia National Park and the Conwy River. Tea is served in the elegant living room, near doubletake-producing life-size faux sheep lounging by the fireside. I shared tea with Paul Wakely of Cambrian Tour Guides, who introduced me to slathering clotted cream and jam not only on the scones, but also on the homemade shortbread, "brilliant!" as the Brits say. If the service seems a bit royal, that might be because James is retired from service to the Queen.

Plas Maenan has an interesting history, but perhaps most intriguing is that it is home to one of the largest colonies of endangered lesser horseshoe bats in the British Isles. If you stick around until dusk, you might see as many as 500 emerge from an old tunnel complex under the hotel's terrace. About that tunnel complex: Reputedly, it was used to store treasures from the National Gallery during World War II.

Chester Grosvenor, Chester, England: Top-hatted doormen welcome guests to this five-star hotel, owned by the Duke of Westminster's family and located within the walls of Chester, a city with a history dating back to its origins as a Roman fort in the first century. The hotel's black-and-white timbered facade fits in well with Chester's numerous Tudor buildings, some original, others Victorian-era restorations. Inside, the décor is contemporary, but accented with a half-ton, 28,000-crystal Georgian chandelier and original artwork selected from the Duke's collection.

Afternoon tea at the Arkle Bar And Lounge or upstairs in the gallery is a treat. While the Traditional Afternoon Tea is a decadent offering of scones, finger sandwiches, and sweets, the Gentleman's Afternoon Tea is a far heartier affair, with crusty sandwiches, addictive chips (fries), Cheshire cheese, and more substantial sweets, and it's not limited to men. A friend and I ordered one of each tea to share, which resulted in a decadent and quite filling meal. Afterwards, even if you're full, pop into Rococo Chocolates, the only non-London shop for one of England's finest chocolatiers.

Great Fosters, Egham, England: The royal connections for the mid 16th-century main house (converted to Elizabethan design in the early 20th century) are deep - witness the original royal crest of Queen Elizabeth I inscribed above the main porch and dated 1598 Great Fosters served as a hunting lodge by King Henry VIII, so there's some irony in taking tea in the Anne Boleyn Room, where the magnificent 16th-century ceiling include Boleyn's personal crests.

While the interior is reason enough to visit, the gardens are the real calling card. A moat, likely of 6th-century Saxon origin, now forms a border for the gardens, including yew hedges and a knot garden created in the 1920s in the Arts and Crafts style. Cross the wisteria-dressed Japanese bridge over the moat, and arrive in the circular sunken rose garden, a masterpiece that when in full bloom is an especially sensual treat. Keep wandering to find hedges with secret rooms.

Want to linger at any of these properties? Specials, off-season rates, and online deals often bring room prices down to within splurging range: I've found rates of less than $250/night double, with breakfast.)

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The last time I was in the Oak Room at the old Copley Plaza in Boston, a glorious haze of cigar smoke hung from the giant ceiling. So when I walked into the Fairmont Copley Plaza in late July, the new look took me by surprise, and most pleasantly since no matter how romantic the image of a smoky Boston bar may be, it just stinks and isn't healthy.

The Fairmont Copley just finished a $20 million renovation, in celebration of the historic building's 100th anniversary. The renovation included all 383 guestrooms, suites and the Fairmont Gold Lounge, and also the introduction of eight themed suites, which hotel officials call "Mini museums," each celebrating one of the city's iconic institutions, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Pops, The Freedom Trail and the JFK Library and Museum.

Most noticeable are the public areas, including the lobby lounge, the walls of which are graced with signed lithographs by Matisse, Picasso and Chagall. Catie Copley, the hotel's canine ambassador, has a new custom-made dog bed as part of the renovation, and adjacent to the lobby, in Peacock Alley, the original hand-laid mosaic tile floor from 1912 was restored. Also new is the hotel's rooftop health club, some 3,000-square-feet in size, with TechnoGym gear, floor-to-ceiling windows affording Back Bay views and an outdoor deck.

And that old smoky room is now the OAK Long Bar + Kitchen, a neoclassical space with vaulted ceilings, original beaux arts plaster and restored copper mullions which contrast a lighter, more contemporary cerused oak palette - which officials said is the first real oak to actually be brought into the space. Fireplaces sit alongside a state-of-the-art wine room and tufted leather bar stools sit next to a most impressive, 83-foot copper-topped bar. 

The 100-year-old space has been many things over the years - The Oak Room and Oak Bar most recently, and also Plaza Bar & Dining Room, Merry-Go-Round Bar and Copley Cafe - and was redesigned into its current iteration by designers Dayna Lee and Ted Berner of Powerstrip Studio in Hollywood. There is also a seasonal patio, with bistro tables custom made in France, with rattan seating under umbrellas, and lantern lit at night. For more information, visit www.oaklongbarkitchen.com

All that luscious dark moodiness is now light and airy thanks to 17-foot Palladian windows and original stained glass, and the menu reflects that new lightness, said Suzanne Wenz, director of public relations. The old menu here was meaty, literally, heavy on steaks and such. The modern American menu is now much lighter, with a wide range of seasonal, locally sourced food, she said, heirloom ingredients from regional farms. The day I visited we had a whopping charcuterie platter with tasty meats including prosciutto and porchetta, regional cheeses and Copley-brined olives, and I ordered a Kobe American burger, sans bun, that was simply the best ever. The kitchen is run by Chef Stefan Jarausch, a native German, who once cooked at the Ritz-Carlton Boston.

The hotel, which opened on Aug. 19, 1912 with Mayor John F. Fitzgerald presiding over a reception, is known for industry firsts: The first completely air conditioned hotel in the city, the first hotel with an international reservations system and the first to accept credit cards. It was built on the original site of the Museum of Fine Arts and named for painter John Singleton Copley at a cost of $5.5 million.

For reservations and information on special events marking the hotel's 100-year anniversary, visit www.fairmont.com/copleyplaza or call 800-441-1414.

By Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Ever dreamed of escaping to a private island, one easily accessible yet far removed from the demands of everyday life? An island where you can simply relax and savor the scenery or perhaps hike or paddle, swim or play a round of golf and have the trails, water, pool, or course practically to yourself? I found one in the Scottish Highlands, just two hours northwest of Glasgow or 20 minutes from Oban.

The Isle of Eriska is a 300-acre private island at the mouth of Loch Creran in Benderloch, West Argyll. It's tethered to the mainland by a tidal causeway and a bridge that rumbles your arrival when crossed. The access road ebbs and flows through a woodland colored by giant rhododendrons, before arriving at the Big House, a magical 19th-century Scottish Baronial mansion that's now a five-star, Relais & Chateaux-member, family-run hotel.

While some exclusive hotels are undeniably stuffy, the Isle of Eriska is warm and welcoming, with a genteel ease that matches the soft patina of age. It's the kind of retreat where well known British actresses can escape, and other guests will pretend not to recognize them; the kind of place where a slew of Wellington boots is available at the door for guests to borrow while walking the island's trails. While staying here admittedly is a splurge (from $536 per room in summer, including breakfast and afternoon tea; check for specials), it's possible to experience the island without booking a room. Many of the hotel's amenities are open to the public, allowing anyone a peek at this magical property, with its expansive views over Loch Linnhe and the Morvern Mountains.

The Big House is everything you'd expect, grand in stature, expansive, and country-house elegant. Wood-burning fireplaces warm the public rooms: cozy nooks and grand salons, a piano room, paneled hall, book-packed library lounge, and glass-in conservatory, and a fine dining restaurant. A former stable has been converted to a spa, with an indoor swimming pool, and a restaurant serving lunch. Another outbuilding houses an indoor putting green, full-size tennis court, three badminton courts, and facilities for other sports. Outside are gardens and woodlands, with nature trails dipsy-doodling around and across the island. Sightings of deer, seals, and even otter aren't uncommon. And everywhere are jaw-dropping views of mountains and sea.

Non-guests may have lunch in the casual Veranda Restaurant, with its dream views; enjoy a spa treatment; or play a round on the recently refurbished nine-hole golf course, on which nearly every hole has a water view. Of note: A special golf academy, Sept. 7-9, will include indoor and outdoor group lessons with a PGA professional, lunches, and mini competitions.

Also open to the public for dinner is the hotel's main dining room, named Hotel Restaurant of the Year in the 2011 Scottish Restaurant Awards. Chef Simon McKenzie's menu emphasizes locally sourced foods and changes daily. A four-course gourmet meal with tea or coffee is $73, and that includes the farmhouse cheese trolley, with about 40 cheeses sourced from Britain and beyond. Afterward dinner, retire to the lounge for the nightly entertainment: A family of badgers arrives at the conservatory door for their 10 p.m. milk and bread.

While you can easily drive to the Isle of Eriska, I recommend the West Highland Line train to Oban, a spectacularly scenic route that edges the River Clyde and Loch Lomand, passes through glens and villages and by castle ruins. It eases you into the Scottish Highlands and sets the stage for arrival at the Isle of Eriska. Passage is included on BritRail passes, but due to the train's popularity, it's wise to reserve a seat.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Conn., was the only inn located in the northeast to be ranked among the "Top Inns in the Continental U.S." category in Travel + Leisure's 2012 World's Best Awards readers' survey. The inn, which was ranked eighth in the survey and was once featured in a Boston Globe feature story in 2007, is a Relais & Chateaux designated property of Colonial design with 30 rooms and a 20,000-square-foot spa, on a 58-acre site in an area known for biking, hiking, skiing and snowmobiling.

The inn is no stranger to the luxury-accolade world: It is a long-time recipient of the Forbes 5-Star and AAA Five Diamond awards. Check it out at www.mayflowerinn.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Inn at the White Elephant Village on Nantucket opened on July 4, with 20 units, including 14 suites and six deluxe rooms, and is offering introductory prices throughout the summer. Stay two nights, get the third free, and summer rates start at $750 from July 15-31, and fall rates start at $475 from Sept. 3 to Oct. 27.

As part of the newly created White Elephant Village, the new inn, along with the existing White Elephant Residences, offer guests use of the heated outdoor pool, workout room and free bicycles. Also includes is access to the White Elephant Spa and a 15-percent discount at the Brant Point Grill.<

When booking at www.whiteelephantvillage.com, use promotional code INN, or call 800-475-2637. Caveats include the deal being subject to availability, not being applicable to the Residences or the hotel, or on Columbus Day and other event weekends.

The inn, with the Residences and hotel, is part of the newly created White Elephant Village, and as part of the expansion, the village will have its own lobby, concierge, fireplace, gift shop and business center. Nantucket interior designer Kathleen Hay did the work creating the décor, which features oversized windows, Nantucket wainscoting and linens by Pratesi.

Nantucket Island Resorts owns the village, as well as other island properties including The Wauwinet, Jared Coffin House, the Nantucket Boat Basin marina, and The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Cape Cod's culinary scene has always had a big seafood flavor, but one major tourism player, the upscale Chatham Bars Inn, is trying something different. It has reopened its traditional eatery, The Main Dining Room, as STARS, with a steakhouse-style menu offering midwestern grain-fed and dry-aged beef. Topping the steak menu is a 22-ounce prime dry age porterhouse for $78. And you know how some places let you pick out your own lobster for dinner? A new very cool thing for beef lovers at STARS is a steak cart that travels the restaurant offering custom sizing, for which you are charged per ounce. Rib eye runs $2.40 an ounce, New York strip $3.20 an ounce and tenderloin $4.70.

If you don't care for beef, other options include things like Fire and Ice, which combines a selection of chilled shellfish with grilled lobster, and "Bacon and Eggs,'' a appetizer that marries grilled pork belly with a poached egg and bearnaise aioli, and lots of other seafood options, all of which you can wash down with a choice of more than 30 local craft beers. Check it all out at www.chathambarsinn.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The 33rd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal comes to life June 28 to June 7, with a program of not just jazz, but hip hop, soul and more. Some pretty upscale hotels are offering packages for the festival, which include the Hyatt Montreal, a four-star hotel and official hotel of the festival, with packages starting at $304 per person; the Delta Montreal, a four-star stay, with packages starting off at $284; Square Phillips Hotel & Suites, a four-star hotel, rates starting at $247; and L'Appartement Hotel, a three-star lodging, rates from $203.Prices are in Canadian dollars, taxes not included.

Those packages include: Two nights; two breakfasts; one ticket for a concert in the TD Jazz d'ici La Presse series (subject to availability); one ticket for a concert in the Rythmes series (subject to availability); 15 percent off any indoor concert ticket (subject to availability); one accreditation offering free admission to the jam sessions at Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan and to the Montreal Guitar Show; a festival t-shirt, shoulder bag with logo, souvenir book, three hours of music to download and a $10 rebate on a culinary walking tour.

There are a number of activities connected with the festival, including a jazz dinner cruise aboard the Bateau-Mouche, $136 per person; a culinary walking tour of Little Burgundy, birthplace of Oscar Peterson and the first jazz and blues bars in Montreal, $55 per person; and Star Wars Identities - The Exhibition, at the Montreal Science Center, $23 per person.

For info on all activities, packages and specials, check out www.montrealjazzfest.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

There's nothing like genuine Thai cuisine, which can be hard to find in the United States. Learning to make it is the best way, and learning to make Thai in Thailand is even better.

The Bangkok luxury hotel, the five-star Tower Club at lebua on the Praya River, is now offering guests an authentic Thai cooking-class package that includesa stay in a luxury Tower Club suite and learning how to cook a five-course Thai meal at the hotel's Cafe Mozu. The package, with rates starting at $769, includes two nights lodging, a five-percent discount card for Bangkok's Emporium and Paragon shopping centers, and a three-hour cooking class at the poolside Mozu. The cooking class is available for up to four guests when a two-bedroom suite is booked, and up to six when a three-bedroom suite is booked. The package is available through Nov. 30.

I stayed at the hotel last spring, and advise anyone going there to not miss the Sky Bar on the 63rd floor, reportedly the highest outdoor bar in the world. It's located just below Sirocco, a super-luxurious restaurant and the world's highest al fresco eatery. Both have jaw-dropping views of the city, especially at night. Try the signature "Hangovertini;" much of the movie "The Hangover Part II" was shot at the hotel, including at the Sky Bar.

Cafe Mozu is glorious as well, by the pool and serving one of the most comprehensively ethnic breakfast buffets I've ever seen. Sure, they cater to American tastes (think fried bacon, omelets, home fries and other tedious, caloric items) but on a small scale. Much more prevalent is food you may not recognize, but simply have to try, the things the Thai people eat for breakfast - which is what they eat for dinner or lunch, and can include many rice dishes, soups, chicken or fish. There is also a wide range of other international foods to satisfy the hotel's worldwide clientele, and it's all worth trying yourself.

For information on the culinary program, visit www.lebua.com, email towerclubresvn@lebua.com or call +66 2624 9999

By Jan Shepherd, Globe Correspondent

It wouldn’t be Memorial Day holiday without a trip to Vermont for the fabulous statewide Open Studios weekend with scores of potters, glassblowers, fiber artists, furniture makers, wood artists, jewelry designers, painters and printmakers welcoming visitors to their work spaces. As part of the event’s 20th anniversary celebration earlier this month in Montpelier, the Vermont Crafts Council honored glassblower Harry Besett of Hardwick and furniture maker Robert Gasperetti of Mt. Tabor for participating every year. Recalling the first weekend, VCC executive director Martha Fitch told the audience, “We didn’t even have a map that year. We assumed people would know where to go.” Since then VCC publishes a detailed list and map with directions to all locations; this year there are 259 craftspeople and visual artists participating. The map is available at Vermont State Visitor Centers on major highways, online at www.vermontcrafts.com, and galleries. The map is organized regionally making it easy to select areas to explore Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Photo of glassblower Harry Besett by Wendy Besett

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Great American Steamboat Company's revitalized American Queen chugged to her home port of Memphis April 26, to the revitalized Beale Street Landing, after her first voyage up the mighty Mississippi since 2008. The US flagged steamboat's appearance marks the return of overnight cruises on one of America's great rivers. Originally built in 1995 by the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., the American Queen is the largest and, company officials said, the most opulent steamboat ever built, which accommodates 436 guests and features palatial public spaces, elegant staterooms and Southern cuisine of Chef Regina Charboneau.

The company hired more than 300 employees from the Memphis area, including crew, to outfit the ship and estimates its appearance and rolling up and down the river to have an economic impact of $89 million for the region. On the first journey to its home port, celebrations including having Priscilla Presley, wife of arguably the most famous resident of Memphis, the late Elvis Presley, serving as the godmother of the American Queen in a christening ceremony.

After the festivities, the ship was heading out on her inaugural voyage up the Mississippi River to the Ohio River, with stops in Kentucky and Indiana before arriving in the disembarkation city of Cincinnati. She was to take part in the Kentucky Derby Festival's Great Steamboat Race with the Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati on May 2.

A variety of voyage lengths from three to 10 nights are available on the American Queen, with fares starting at $995 per guest, from departure cities of Memphis, New Orleans, St. Louis, St. Paul, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. A pre- or post-cruise luxury hotel stay, bottled water and soft drinks, wine and beer at dinner and free shore adventures are included in each port of call. For info, check out www.greatamericansteamboatcompany.com or call 888-749- 5280.

By Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Diamonds are a queen's best friend. In June, Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the thrown. Instead of braving the street crowds, savor royal views and exclusive experiences on the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London's four-day Diamond Jubilee package, June 2-6, 2012.

Included in the package are a welcome dinner; a trip aboard the HMS Belfast to view the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, a fleet of 1,200 vessels led by the royal family; visit to Penshurst Place, the former hunting lodge of Henry VIII, to enjoy the Elizabethan gardens, followed by lunch at the treasure-filled home of Randolph and Catherine Churchill; exclusive view of the royal procession from the balcony of 12 Carlton House; and farewell dinner.

Avoiding hoi polloi comes at a price: Rates for the Diamond Jubilee Tour package begin at $10,138 single, $17,594 double, inclusive of full English breakfast. Tax and service are additional.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

More and more, it's one big happy -- and multigenerational -- family when it comes to travel. Preferred Hotel Group recently conducted a study of the leisure traveler, analyzing more than 400 variables, including the travel-related attitudes, behaviors, preferences, social values, lifestyles and media habits of people who identified themselves as "multigenerational travelers." The study found that 40 percent of US leisure travelers -- about 21 million of them -- had taken a multigenerational trip in the previous 12 months, that defined as a trip of three generations.

Traveling in groups isn't limited to families, either. Luxury travel operator Abercrombie & Kent also reported that 11 percent of its reservations in 2011 were for groups of five more, compared to eight percent the year before.

As might be expected, resorts are focusing on the large-group angle, creating programs and specialties for families and those traveling with a crowd. The all-inclusive Curtain Bluff Resort in Antigua is running a multi-gen package valid from May 15-July 28, based on two interconnecting junior suites for seven nights, and includes private sunset sail on a 49-foot sail boat; private family cocktail party at The Bluff House; and photographer for family portrait, to include CD of the shots, for a cost of $8,950. Additional junior suites are available at $4,325 for the week. Check it out at www.curtainbluff.com

Villas are ideal for family travelers and on the 1,400-acre private island of Mustique in the Grenadines, there are 74 rentable villas, from two to nine bedrooms, fetching anywhere from $6,000 to $150,000 a week. Mustique's only resort, the Cotton House, has 17 suites and babysitting services. Anyone staying on the island has access to nine beaches and a downtown market, and kid activities including pony camp, tennis camp, sailing classes and movie nights. Check it all out at www.mustique-island.com and www.cottonhouse.net

In Turks and Caicos, the upscale The Somerset on Grace Bay has 53 villas and estates and new this year is the "Caicos Kids Club," a free program for kids ages five to 12 and run by certified teachers from a local school, a day program that offers a variety of changing, kid-friendly activities. They also have a group kids' dinner on select evenings to give their parents some alone time. Rates at the resort, with accommodations ranging from 1,400 to 5,000 square feet, start at $900 a night. For more info, visit www.thesomerset.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Sofitel So Bangkok recently opened in Thailand, and is offering "80 Dollars, 80 Days," now through May 18, which gives guests an $80 credit per room, per night for the first 80 days of its opening. The credit can be spent at any of the new 30-story hotel's restaurants, bars or So Spa. The credit extends to room upgrades as well, and can be accumulated during the same stay.

The new hotel overlooks the city's Lumpini Park and has 238 rooms with themed decor centered around five elements: Water, earth, wood, metal and fire. The water-themed rooms, for example, feature bathtubs offering front-on scenic views of the city. The hotel also has a chocolate boutique, infinity swimming pool overlooking the city, and So Spa, which resembles a mythological forest. The hotel is also said to be the first one in Asia to offer a fully connected lifestyle, with all rooms and suites equipped with fully integrated Apple Mac mini Solution technology and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Other in-room benefits are free private bar, his-and-hers amenities and Illy espresso machine in So Comfy or higher room categories.

Rates at the hotel start at $165 a night. For information visit http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-6835-sofitel-so-bangkok/index.shtml

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I., a $140-million luxury hotel that opened in 2010, has earned an AAA five diamond ranking for 2012 -- the first and only five diamond-ranked hotel in the state.

The new Ocean House replaced the original built in 1868 which had fallen into disrepair. The old structure was razed and a new one put up, using more than 5,000 artifacts salvaged from the original including furniture, window frames, doorways, moldings, front desk and a terrific old wooden elevator.

The hotel has but 49 rooms ranging in size from cozy 500-square-foot guestrooms to massive 2,700-square-foot luxury suites, and upscale amenities such as a 12,000-square-foot spa, with 20-meter heated lap pool, and a monthly "Farm and Vine" dining program in its Seasons restaurant, which celebrates New England food.

Ocean House is offering a "AAA Five Diamond" package in honor of the award, available through April 15, which gets guests a 20-percent discount off deluxe or terrace rooms. Rates at the hotel start at $292 per night. For information, visit www.oceanhouseri.com, or call 401-584-7000.

The management of Ocean House is also managing nearby Weekapaug Inn, which has been closed as it undergoes a $15-million renovation. Built in 1899, the inn's original 67 rooms will become 28 guest rooms, plus four, two-bedroom residential suites. The Weekapaug Inn is scheduled to reopen in October, Ocean House officials said.

By Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

If you're one of the millions of Americans completely smitten by the PBS Emmy award-winning series "Downton Abbey," and you're pining to immerse yourself in the show's Edwardian setting, you can for a price. NoteWorthy Events, a bespoke custom tour operator, is offering a one-day immersion in Highclere Castle, a.k.a. "Downton Abbey."

Guests on the one-day private tour will be met upon arrival by the current owners, the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and enjoy tea and coffee in the Countess' private morning room. After a guided tour through the state rooms with either the Earl or the Countess, settle in to the State Dining Room for a private lunch featuring wines from the Earl's cellar.

After dining, explore the estate in one of the Earl's private 4-by-4 off-road vehicles. Among the highlights are the grave of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who funded and assisted in investigations that led to the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, and the ruins of an Iron Age fort. Or take a guided tour of Highclere's Egyptology exhibition.

Finish the day with High Tea with the Countess, and upon departure, received complimentary copies of Lady Fiona Carnavron's books, including "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey."

The tour cost, approximately $12,090, covers up to four people; advance registration is required.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

If you find yourself near a Sofitel, a world-wide chain of luxury hotels, around Valentine's Day, you can snag a deal with the Sofitel Magnifique Romance package, which runs until the end of February and includes a discount room rate, chocolate of flowers upon arrival, a bottle of champagne, in-room breakfast and late check out.

Among the properties featuring the package:
Sofitel, Washington, D.C., on Lafayette Square in the heart of the city, with rates starting at $270; Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile, in an area known for art galleries, museum and high-end shopping, rates starting at $253; Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, set alongside the windy city's famous Magnificent Mile and hard by Lake Michigan, rates starting at $245; Sofitel Paris Le Fauborg, a five-star property in arguably the world's most romantic city, near the Champs-Elysees, the Louvre and boutiques of the Saint-Honore district, rates starting at $470; Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, set between two iconic canals, a historic property dating from the 15th century and recently renovated, rates starting at $431; and Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, in the center of Rome, a five-star property close to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and designer shops, rates starting at $364 a night.

To book and for more information, visit www.sofitel-magnifiqueromance.com, or follow Sofitel on Facebook.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Valentine's Day is approaching, which reminds of us two things: It's time to be romantic, and winter is half over. There are a number of places, far and near, to warm up to the romantic cause with Valentine packages, and here are some: 

The White Barn Inn up in Kennebunk Beach, Maine, is running a romance package for the romantic month of February, which includes a night's stay in a deluxe room adorned with chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne to wash them down with. Included is continental breakfast, afternoon tea and a romantic dinner for two. Rates are $600 for one night, dropping to $565 if staying more than one night. Check it out at http://www.whitebarninn.com/ or call 207-967-2321.

The Opus Vancouver has a "Cupid Concierge" deal for $295 a night, getting you a room, sparkling wine at check-in, a half-dozen roses or orchids delivered to your room before arrival, a half-bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a framed photo of your choice and a handwritten message from you delivered to your room before arrival, breakfast in bed and late check out. Upgrade to a suite for $100 more. See more at http://www.opushotel.com/vancouver.html

Also in Canada, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal has a "Bare Your Heart Package" for the romantic in you, which includes a one-night stay and breakfast in bed, with rates from $219 in Canadian dollars (the exchange rate is nearly even these days), available throughout February (except Feb. 24 and 25). A $10 donation per package sold will be made to Fondation En Coeur, a Quebec-based agency that helps kids with heart disease and their families with support services and information, and helping improve medical services in pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease. Visit http://www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth for more information.

Go west and get warmer with the "Back in the Saddle Package" at the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., which offers 20 percent off room nights (their rates are all inclusive, with meals and activities) for anyone booking three or more nights from Feb. 10-19. Rates start at $225 per night, not counting the discount. The resort is a working horse ranch with 180 horses on 60,000 acres of desert landscape between the Rincon Mountains, Saguaro National Park and the Coronado National Forest, where couples can horseback ride, hike, mountain bike, swim, fish, enjoy the spa and relax in a room - that has no television. This is about romance, not what's on cable. Visit http://www.tanqueverderanch.com/

Wine is romantic, and the Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, Calif., unwraps its "Romance in Wine Country Package," with a room, two one-hour spa treatments, sparkling wine and a chocolate strawberry amenity, rose-petal turndown and sparkling wine tasting passes at Gloria Ferrer Winery. Packages are priced from $429 per night, and the special runs Feb. 10-19. The hotel serves what it calls a food lover's "aphrodisiac menu" for $125 per person. Check it out at http://www.fairmont.com/sonoma

Another Arizona resort, L'Auberge de Sedona, offers its "Sedona Snowmance" package for two that highlights skiing and getting warm and cozy later in new guest rooms with mountain views. The package includes two nights, two lift tickets to Flagstaff Snowbowl per day booked, a $75 food and beverage or spa credit per day booked and free winter drinks by the fire, ciders, teas and cocoas (the hard stuff is available but not free). Package savings are 40 percent with rates starting at $265 for guest rooms and $320 for cottages. The deal is valid through March 15. Check it out at http://www.lauberge.com/

Sunsets on the Pacific are pretty romantic, and the "Stay, Spa & Splashes" packages at Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, Calif., allow you to enjoy them. The deals, with 30 percent off rates starting at $625 a night, include a one-night stay, spa treatment for two, three-course dinner for two at the resort's signature Splashes restaurant, and gourmet breakfast in room (or the restaurant). Check it out at http://www.surfandsandresort.com/

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Snap a picture. London may be calling.

If you see a pink taxi cab roaming the streets of Boston, take a photo of it. The effort may net you a free trip to London. The taxi belongs to The Langham in Boston, a luxury hotel, once the Federal Reserve Bank, that takes its name from the Langham Hotel in London. The specially outfitted pink taxi – the color is Langham's signature shade - was brought from London in November.

The contest ends Jan. 12 and is being held to commemorate the addition of the taxi used to shuttle hotel guests around the city.

Anyone spotting the taxi can snap a photo and upload it to The Langham's Facebook page, and will be automatically entered into a contest to win a London getaway on Virgin Atlantic Airways, which includes air, and three nights at the Langham there, which opened in 1865, reportedly as Europe’s first grand hotel. It lays claim, by its location at the top of Regent Street, to being the most centrally located luxury hotel in London.

The winner will be picked at random and announced on or about Jan. 31. Once you snap a photo of the Langham taxi, upload it at www.facebook.com/langhamboston. You could end up in the London pink.

This season, guests at the ski-in/out St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, can—for a price—ski with two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahrke (left) on the mountain where she won her 2002 silver medal. A half-day with the mogul queen is $400 per person, including lunch at Jean-Georges' J&G Grill; a full day is $800 per person, including dinner and drinks at J&G. For groups of four, the rate is $1,500 half day, $2,400 full day. For corporate clients, a half day is $5,000 for up to 12 people with lunch; a full day is $10,000, including cocktails and dinner. For those unable or unwilling to make the splurge, Barhke schmoozes with all guests about once a week over free afternoon s'mores on the hotel's Astor Terrace.

While the programs with Bahrke are open only to hotel guests, anyone can watch the daily sunset champagne sabering demonstration, when a restaurant employee pops the cork on a bottle of champagne by whisking a sword up its neck (a great party trick, if you master it). Best way to access the hotel is via the free funicular from Deer Valley's Snow Park Lodge. The heated, glass-walled cars climb the cliffside and deliver panoramic views of the mountain and valley.

After the sabering, stick around for cocktails—the signature 7452 Mary, a bloody Mary distinguished by a wasabi-celery foam and named for the hotel's elevation—and perhaps dinner in the St. Regis Bar & Lounge or Executive Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's J&G Grill (two must-orders available in either location for lunch or dinner: black truffle pizza with fontina cheese ($12) and steamed shrimp salad with local greens and avocado champagne dressing ($12).

For those unable to ski with Bahrke, she offers the following tips for mastering those pesky moguls:

-- Look ahead, read the terrain, and interpret it: Look for a pattern in the moguls and plan four or five turns ahead.

-- Plant your pole after you've hit the mogul, not before. That keeps your hands in front, allowing you to keep moving forward and linking turns without getting twisted or in the back seat.

--Be relaxed: Let your legs come up

--Control speed: Don't slam on the brakes, instead, make little hockey-style checks in the troughs between moguls to slow your speed.

--Don't give up: So many people give up on moguls because it doesn't feel good, but if you stick with it, you'll get it.

--Surrender control: Mogul skiing isn't about control. You have to surrender, let your body go, and be okay with it.

During ski season, a superior guest room at the hotel ranges $519-$1,649 per night, which includes ski and boot valets, who assist with equipment and warm boots overnight. Car service to nearby Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons is available. For those who prefer to not lift a finger while vacationing, butler service is available (worth the splurge if only to task him with making everything fit nicely back in your suitcase when it's time to depart).

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By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Vanderbilt Grace hotel in Newport, R.I., was already a pretty elegant place, which was renovated and reopened in April as a new brand in the Grace Hotels Group. It had been Vanderbilt Hall for many years.

Now the hotel has launched "Bespoke by Grace," a new concept that lets guests customize numerous aspects of their stay before arriving, including choices of pillows, fragrances and mini-bar contents, and other experiences such as champagne at night and use of a mobile phone pre-loaded with useful local numbers. Romantic types can arrange for fresh flowers, daily champagne and strawberries and initial-embroidered robes. Guests can complete the process at any point between booking and arrival. They will receive an online form by email once they book a room, or can call the hotel directly to discuss their requirements.

For information, visit www.vanderbiltgrace.com, or call 401-846-6200.