Elite Travel

As Mother's Day approaches (my first without my mom), I find myself reflecting on some of the most special memories we shared. Funny enough, many of them center around places we went--and more specifically, the luxury hotels where we stayed. For this reason, a number of these hotels I visited with my mom will ALWAYS hold a very special place in my... heart. One of the first BIG trips I invited my mom on was in 1999. I was a senior editor at Travel Agent Magazine and attended a press event where I won a trip to Asia, courtesy of Ritz-Carlton. I remember thinking that since I wasn't dating anyone at the time, why not invite my mom on this incredible trip? She had never traveled to that part of the world, and was thrilled at the opportunity. The trip included round-trip business class tickets on Malaysia Airlines and a few nights at The Ritz-Carlton properties in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and our favorite, Bali. I have fond memories of how impressed my mom with at each of the properties, especially the indoor/outdoor villa-like compound we shared in Bali. Fresh watermelon juice was enjoyed before a full-on negotiation with the local vendors in Kuta Beach who would not leave us alone until we agreed to buy some of their crap. In Singapore, we visited the night zoo and later that eve back at the hotel, my mom just kept talking about how crazy it was to go to the zoo at night. Funny the things you remember! But, we both loved that hotel for its gorgeous bathrooms with views (shown below) and impeccable service. Years later, after my dad passed away in 2006, I was invited to visit a number of Virtuoso hotels in Prague and Budapest. Neither my mom nor I was really in an excellent state of mind having just lost my dad a few months prior, but we agreed it would be good for us to go on a big adventure. It was a bit too cold for my liking in March, but what stands out most was my mom's reaction when we checked into stunning properties such as the Mandarin Oriental and the Four Seasons in Prague, and then the insanely ...Read More