Why I Stayed at the St Regis Aspen.

Why I Stayed at the St Regis Aspen.

As I wrote in an earlier blog post, when planning a trip, there are many considerations. For me, staying at top tier hotels and resorts is an essential part of ensuring I have a pleasant travel experience. Here are the five reasons why my stay at St Regis Aspen, Colorado, did not disappoint.

1.Service was outstanding. When I landed at the airport, there was a hotel representative in baggage claim who took my bags, and I did not have to struggle with luggage from the airport to the hotel. At check-in, I was welcomed with an acknowledgment that it was a birthday trip. The hotel provided complimentary champagne that was delivered to my room the night before my birthday. I was presented with a box of macaroons and truffles at breakfast the morning of my birthday. From the front desk, the hotel staff, to the concierge, everyone seemed to know who I was and why I was there and made an effort to make sure I had a wonderful stay.

2.Car availability. The hotel offered a BMW 7 series for a 4-hour test drive period free of charge upon request as long as it was available. Usually, this service is provided once per stay, but due to COVID, it was available upon request and availability. I was able to use the car service twice during my stay, which was great considering I did not have to worry about car rental or parking.

3.Breakfast credit. Due to COVID and dining restrictions, the hotel offered a breakfast credit to dine in the hotel’s modified outdoor dining tent. I could have a full breakfast every day of the trip before my day of activities and a nice fluffy blanket to keep you warm while dining.

4.Airport shuttle. The hotel provided a shuttle service to the airport every thirty minutes, and the hotel personnel loaded my bags onto and off the shuttle from arrival to check-out. I did not have any concern with carrying my luggage to and from the hotel.

5.Heated pool and steam caves. After a day of snow activity, it was a pleasure to sink into the heated pool at the end of the day. The ability to be in the pool in the middle of winter with snowfall was an incredible experience and one I would thoroughly recommend.

Are there any hotels you love? I’d love to know, so drop me a line.

My Birthday Trip to Aspen, Colorado.

My Birthday Trip to Aspen, Colorado.

With the realities of COVID travel, I decided to travel to Colorado for my birthday celebration. It was as fulfilling as any of my international destinations, so I encourage you to try exploring within the US as much as you desire to travel internationally. Here are some highlights of my 5-day 4-night trip.

After I planned my trip, the hotel notified me that the COVID restrictions had changed for Aspen and Pitkin County not to allow indoor dining. Also, a negative COVID test was necessary before travel. I considered canceling my trip as the thought of testing, and outdoor dining in the winter was not my idea of an ideal trip, but I’m so glad I chose not to.

My stay was at St Regis Aspen, and I planned to arrive mid-afternoon as many hotels post that the room may not be ready until afternoon. My room was ready upon arrival, and my reception was as expected for a St. Regis property. A hotel representative met me at the airport who tagged the luggage to my room, so I did not struggle with luggage.

Day one was for checking in, getting set up in the room, and exploring around the hotel. I was not too fond of the first room assigned because of the obstructed view and, upon request, was moved to another room right away. The concierge recommended an excellent restaurant for dinner, and even though it was outdoor dining, it was an enjoyable experience with the heat lamps.

Day two was my birthday, and I scheduled morning snowmobiling and an afternoon dinner. Since there was also an 8 pm curfew, dinner had to be early to be back at the hotel before the deadline. The hotel arranged transportation to and from the snowmobiling location for a fee. However, it was private transportation, and the driver was accommodating with great tips and ideas. I chose to go to another county, Basalt county, to have an indoor dining experience for dinner. The hotel offered a BMW 7 series car with a 4-hour test drive window, and I took advantage of it as the restaurant was less than 30 minutes away.

On day three, I chose to go for a snowboarding lesson on Snowmass. Again, I took advantage of the car from the hotel and drove to Snow mass, which was also less than 30 minutes away. Snowmass was all that I pictured Aspen Colorado to be with snow falling, gondola rides, and ski lift experiences. The heated pool at the hotel was a great end to the day.

Day four was set aside for writing content for my blog and relaxing after snowmobiling and snowboarding lessons. It was an excellent way to relax before leaving the following day.

Overall, my trip to Aspen was an incredible experience, and my stay at St. Regis, all I expected and more. The staff was excellent, and I received complimentary champagne and truffles from the hotel to mark my birthday. The hotel also offered a breakfast credit in their modified outdoor dining space and blankets to make dining a pleasant experience.

I did not anticipate a winter vacation being so wonderful, but I encourage you to give it a try. Have you been to Aspen? Let me know if your experiences were as good as mine or ask me any questions you may have.

Carry-Ons.

Carry-Ons.

Carry-ons are usually small items you take on board that travel with you on the airplane for your convenience when traveling. With the abundance of budget carriers, regional jet flights, and airline restrictions, the carry-on is up to the interpretation of many. Check-in agents, baggage screeners, gate agents, and flight attendants are many that determine what is considered carry-on.

If you are traveling on a larger airplane, you may be permitted to take two luggage pieces with you. You should place one in an overhead bin and the other under the seat in front of you. If you are on a smaller aircraft, you are more than likely only allowed to travel with a small item such as a purse or bag. When booking your flight, the information will indicate aircraft type, and you can google it to give you an idea of the aircraft layout. Note that the airline may change aircraft type, as you are paying for transportation, not specific aircraft.

Passengers are not guaranteed carry on space. There may be designated areas that are cabin specific overhead space such as first-class or business class. However, even with this designation, personal space is not exact. There are also many times when the area located directly above your seat may be full, and you will have to find other space, often behind you, to stow your carry-on.

While carry-on limitations may be a hassle to many travelers, safety reasons dictate their necessity. It can be hazardous if a large, heavy bag falls on a passenger because a fellow traveler cannot lift it into an overhead bin. There is also the chance of carry-ons falling out of the overhead bin if not properly packed or falling during turbulence. Carry-ons can also be dangerous if there is an emergency, and people are more concerned with collecting their bags than there are with your life and the speed of getting off an airplane. Additionally, behind-the-scenes considerations such as weight and balance of the aircraft may impact how many bags and or weight are allowed in the airplane cabin.

When packing a carry-on, the passenger should consider these realities and their impact on travel and other travelers. It can be extremely frustrating to board an airplane and be held up by the passenger in front of you who has to unload necessary items from their carry-on before they can be seated. The process of boarding a flight is not only held up, but passengers following behind may become frustrated, and you are often entertainment for the people already sitting and watching you.

Flight attendants will urge you to take your seat as quickly as possible, and while they can assist you in finding space to stow your luggage, there is no obligation to lift or help you with your luggage. The gate agents can become annoyed that you are affecting their on-time departure. The pilot risks losing his departure slot because of your delay, not to mention the timing of connecting flights.

When considering carry-on, think of what you need to have onboard with you. With the realities of baggage fees (see earlier post), you may be tempted to see carry on as just another piece of luggage. Considering carry-on facts can make for a more pleasant travel experience for you and your fellow passengers.
Have you any stories about carry-ons? I’d love to hear.

Your choice to travel is yours alone.

Your choice to travel is yours alone.

For years I have had to battle the question of my travel experiences. When it was professional, it was “how can you leave your kids?” When it was personal it was again about the kids and whether I should put their needs first. Recently the question was “what about Covid?”

There will always be questions no matter your choice. The only right choice is the inner choice you make and life is too short not to put yourself first.

I always choose me! This might seem selfish, but I cannot be a good mother, wife, or friend if I am stressed out and unhappy. I have learned that more now since becoming an empty nester than ever before. My kids are grown, and I honestly believe that they would not have me make any different choices than the ones I made. Of course, they have not always been happy with my choices, but at the end of the day, I have.

You can be replaced easily at work, marriages fail, children grow up, and tomorrow is never promised. Life is too short not to travel, not to take a vacation, not to get a massage, not to put yourself first. Choosing to travel is a gift to yourself that you can open as many times as you desire. My choice is to travel, it’s the gift I give to myself.

Have you ever been judged for your choice to travel? Let me know in the comments. I bet I’m not alone.

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