The four engines are purring like a kitten, as the mighty A380 glides across the dense cloudy sky over Miami. More sovereign than with the king of the air, one can hardly land in this art-crazy city. The sultry air thawes my deep-frozen shirt in seconds and nestles lovingly to my body. For the next two days, I stay at the Lord Balfour, directly in the epicenter of South Beach.
If you have been advertising for Franziskaner Weissbier for many years, you should actually know what the phrase “Auszeit” means. However, the chalets of the same name in Hüttschlag, Austria, raise the meaning to a new, unequally higher level. After the sunny start in Munich, the sky becomes more and more cloudy and the first spring clouds bear witness to upcoming heat storms.
„The west shore of Lake Garda is completely different from the heavily crowded east side,“ confirms Olliver Mayr, hotel manager of Grand Hotel Fasano. „We are more focused on individual tourism and luxury travel“. I believe that immediately, at the sight of the neoclassical hotel, which was built in 1888 and still breathe and exhale a lot of history. The interior in the reception area is completely white, the furniture a reflection of the epochs, in the air a pleasant smell of limoncello. Everything is well selected, very Italian, nevertheless inviting.
In or out? Man or mouse? No trivial matter if you consider the outside temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. But the words of Vedrana Vukosav, sales manager of the Hotel Kazbek, give me the last push. „So far nobody has jumped into the pool“. And this makes a more than ordinary impression. So at least I jumped inside and enjoyed this gem at the Marina of Batala all by myself.
The land of the Maya stretches on a peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. It is an interesting mix of culture and all-inclusive program. So far, I’ve always been skeptical about the Mexican Spring Break, but after Machu Picchu last year, I really wanted to delete Chichén Itzá from my bucket list.
So off to Yucátan, off to Merida and first to the more „secluded“ cultural sites in the north-western part of the country.
It is shortly after 8 pm, when I finally pin the code into the powerful entrance of the Maison Azul in Merida. Reluctantly, the heavy gate gives way and I tap through a half-dark of shadows, religious artifacts, and bloated angels. The palace reminds me of the fabulous world of Carlos Ruiz Zafón and shines and enchants at first sight.
A good day usually begins with champagne and chocolates. At least for guests of the Chalet Mirabell near Merano. Fresh crêpes as well as various egg dishes are prepared at the live cooking station. There are also white sausages with bavarian pretzels, loosely 10 different kinds of buns or original Scottish wild salmon. After this opulent start, you don´t want to leave the hotel anymore.
It is hard to believe, but bloggers also read blogs and so Dolomiracles sent me on an unforgettable trip to Santa Cristina in South Tyrol. Here lies on a hill, the truly unique Dorfhotel Beludei. „Please come over, you just have to see it“ host Luis Schenk already sings on the phone and his welcome is correspondingly warm.
