Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, hold it for just a few seconds, and then release - the stress, the anxiety, and the mental to-do list. Let it all go and imagine that you’re right by the ocean instead. You can hear the waves crashing and birds chirping away, you feel the sun beaming down on your face, and there’s a sense of relief washing over you. That is exactly what you’re going to feel the moment you step onto Fairmont Orchid.

With 119 bedrooms located in the heart of historic Old Town, The Hoxton in Portland offers comfort with mid-century touches. Check-in to check out from reality during your stay here.

With most stays, I always go off the vibe above everything else, and when I stepped through the bright yellow doors leading into the front porch, I felt a huge sense of calmness. I’ve seen all the photos of the front porch on social media and didn’t expect to actually be impressed still. You know how you’ve seen the Effiel Tower all over the Internet but then when you stand in front of it, you still can’t get over how beautiful it really is? Yeah, that’s pretty much how I felt. It is even more gorgeous in person than in photos. But that’s just the beginning.

When I’m feeling stressed and want to get away, the first place I typically opt for is Hawaii. Being from LA, it’s not an easy flight over to the islands but picking which one is . usually the hardest part. This trip, we picked Maui, for the vibes, the food, and for the Fairmont Kea Lani. It was the best decision we made for our last trip of the year.

You can spot it from the freeway and once you enter valet, you have the immediate sense that you’re home. The interior design will leave you in awe while you register exactly where you are, this is Menlo Park. Located about 45-minutes from San Francisco, Menlo Park is also known as Silicon Valley and right next door to Hotel Nia is Facebook’s headquarters. Yep, you’re surrounded by the biggest tech companies but once you step inside your room, you’ll forget all that and be mesmerized by how beautiful your home away from home is.

While many believe that the Maldives should be reserved for special occasions and yes, the general demographics are couples, we went as a group of 6 girls (for a press trip) and had just or even more fun together than if we had gone with our significant others. Leaving me to really urge those who want to go to the Maldives to just go and not “wait for the right time.”

After standing in line for 3.5 hours through customs, due to the airport’s computers being down, I was beyond excited to realize that all I had to do was take an elevator upstairs to get to the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel. Within 20 minutes, I was checked into my room on the Fairmont Gold level, in a robe and refreshing myself with some snacks and drinks from the exclusive 24-hour lounge.

Encompassing 45 acres, the Fairmont Mayakoba offers 27, 710 sq. of exploration with two outdoor event lawns, 18-hole golf course, and 401 rooms/suites. There are 6 options for dining, which includes poolside and beach service, 24-hour in-room dining, and 37,000 square foot spa featuring 20 treatment rooms. There is also a mineral pool on the rooftop of the spa and they also house stingless bees. Fitness center and beauty salon are also offered on the property.

With villa rentals accommodating up to a group of 4 adults or 4 adults and 2 children, these resort residences were built to fully equip you with all your needs for a stay. Better than an Air B&B, as you don’t have to clean or cook if you don’t please, since room service is a call away and the Seasons restaurant is located on-site. With a gym and spa located on the property as well, in addition to a beautiful heated pool and kids pool, golf-course, and plenty of activities the concierge can easily arrange for you, there is no doubt that there is plenty to do for everyone.

Technology meets luxury, blended perfectly with just the right amount of world-class service at your fingertips. All the things you could ever need for the perfect getaway can be found at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills. However, I have to warn you that once you check-in, you may never want to check-out.

On our second trip back to Cook Islands, we opted to stay at Nautilus Resort and Spa, after glamping with Ikurangi prior. It was nice to have the contrast between an eco retreat (from our previous trip) to something a little more luxurious.

Located right in town is Santa Ynez Inn, a luxurious Victorian styled property with a private spa. Upon checking in, you’ll be presented a Tasting Passport, which provides you complimentary tastings to over a dozen wine partners nearby. Yes, free wine tastings — I told you this is heaven for wine lovers.

After an hour and some change at the airport and another hour in traffic, we turned left into a narrow alleyway and started questioning whether the driver knew where he was going. Within a few short minutes, we arrive to a gated property and stop right in front of a lobby, where we were warmly greeted with fragrant floral lei’s and a welcome drink. We arrived, after 20+ hours of traveling; we have arrived to a place we were going to call “home” for the next few days.

Waking up before the sunrise in LA is out of the question for me, as my view from my apartment isn’t anything spectacular. However, it was a breeze waking up at 6AM each morning at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. With the sunrise around 6:30AM, it gave me enough time to get my coffee, settle into our balcony, and watch the skies turn into shades of pink and orange. I couldn’t get enough of it and with the pond right below us, watching the swans and koi fish swimming around just put me in the best mood everyday. Then again, you’re in Kauai, so can you really complain about anything?

The best thing you can do for yourself is make yourself a priority, even just for a weekend. I promise you’ll feel much more focused, refreshed, and energized after a weekend away in Indian Wells at Miramonte Resort and Spa. Take a friend, a sister or your better half if you wish or just getaway on your own. It’s not only needed, but it is necessary.

The hotel itself blends design elements of rustic and elegance from the lobby to the rooms, beautiful interior selections and spacious rooms. However, with most boutique hotels, it isn’t a huge property and therefore, the one thing I believe they do need to improve upon is their staff.

Alongside our welcome tray was hand-written postcard from the front desk welcoming me. Sure, notes are standard for guests but this postcard also had little hand drawn graphics of all the places I visited on my last trip in Portland - places I blogged about in this post. I love when a hotel does their research and takes the time out to know who they are expecting, it shows that they really do care (and being a fan of my blog is a major plus!)

I had the pleasure of staying at Sofitel in Chicago, as they have partnered up with Dîner en Blanc International this year, which is an invite-only picnic that occurs in more than 80 cities around the world. Having loved attending the last three Diner en Blanc in LA, I was excited to be experiencing this event in a different city.

Punta Mita is a gated peninsula, secluded and protected by a security booth at the front of the entrance. Beyond these gates was our home for the four days, the Four Seasons. The drive through the peninsula was filled with palm trees and an amazing ocean view, which our driver paused briefly to allow us to admire it. Upon arriving at the hotel we were taken aback by how large the property really is. 

Have you ever stepped inside a hotel and have it take your breathe away? I never thought a hotel lobby could me leave speechless, but as soon as I walked into the Allegro in Chicago, I was at a loss for words.