Author Archives: Andi's Pick

About Andi's Pick

This hotel has been carefully selected and is highly recommended by Andi Perullo de Ledesma, the Editor-in-Chief and Creator of My Beautiful Adventures. She travels the world in search of the best in luxury accommodation. If your hotel would like to be reviewed for consideration of being added into the elite collection of "picks," please contact Andi at: AndiPerullo@aol.com

Andi’s Pick: Hyatt Regency Atlanta

117 Replies

Hyatt Regency Atlanta: Atlanta, Georgia

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

First Impression

I was excited to experience the award-winning Hyatt Regency Atlanta, as I had been informed that it had recently undergone close to a $70 million dollar transformation.  That can only mean good things, right?  Absolutely!  As soon as you step into the twenty-two story hotel, you immediately see that every effort to modernize it has successfully been taken.  Somehow its designers figured out a way to blend the efficiencies of a business hotel with the details of a luxury hotel.

Location

Location, location, location.  This hotel is truly in the center of the city’s main attractions, making it possible to never need a car once during your entire stay.  Within walking distance are some of Atlanta’s most beloved treasures, such as: Georgia Aquarium, Coke Museum, CNN Center, Peachtree Center Mall, and Georgia Dome.  I highly recommend purchasing an Atlanta CityPASS, which will allow you to explore some of these places for one affordable price.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

The Room

The Hyatt chain is dedicated to making sure that all of their rooms are hypo-allergenic, which allows even the most sensitive of guests an incredibly comfortable sleeping environment.  The Hyatt Regency Atlanta takes it one step further with their “Respire by Hyatt” purification process.  All of the rooms must undergo this strict six-step process, ensuring that you are staying in the cleanest room in Atlanta.  They make green sexy, with their sleek decor and inviting bedding — perfect for a romantic Southern getaway, which is exactly what I was on with my husband.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

The Bathroom

Because the hotel was originally designed as a business hotel, the bathrooms are on the smaller side.  To make up for that, they are stocked with luxurious Portico bath products.

The Extras

Depending on which room you are in, you might just get a sweeping downtown view.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

Besides being impressed by both the hotel room and location, and the fact that the lobby cafe sells Starbucks coffee, I am also quite enchanted with the Hyatt Regency Atlanta’s two restaurants: Twenty-Two Storys and Sway.  Both offer the best in Southern fusion cuisine.  While, Sway is the upscale dining option, Twenty-Two Storys has a relaxed, bar-like atmosphere.  Brunch at Sway is a must have experience while visiting Atlanta, regardless if you are staying in the hotel or not.

Social Media

A special thank you is in order to the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau for sponsoring my trip to Atlanta, Georgia.

Andi’s Pick: Home Hotel

132 Replies

Home Hotel: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Home Hotel

First Impression

Home is the perfect name for this stylish boutique hotel.  The second I walked through their welcoming doors I truly felt like I was at home (well, in my dreams my home looks this fabulous).  From the atmosphere to the staff — everything and everyone could not have been more inviting!  I must extend my gratitude to Kiwi Collection for introducing me to one of my favorite places in Buenos Aires now.

Home Hotel

Home Hotel

Home Hotel

Location

The hotel is located in Palermo Hollywood, one of the most visited barrios in Buenos Aires.  Some of the best dining and shopping in all of the city can be found within walking distance.

The Room

I stayed in The Other Loft, which is a two floor apartment next to the hotel with its own private entrance.

Home Hotel

Before entering the loft, there is a charming patio where a small soirée or Sunday asado could and should be hosted.

Home Hotel

It is almost impossible to escape the intensity of Buenos Aires, but when inside the loft you immediately forgot that you are in one of the largest cities in the world.  Downstairs contained a spacious living room with a wood-burning fireplace and flat-screen TV, as well as a modern kitchen (if only it came with a personal cook too).

Home Hotel

Home Hotel

While upstairs contained a cozy bedroom with a flower-filled terrace.  Due to the loft being tucked away, there is never any street noise to be concerned about.

Home Hotel

Home Hotel

 The Bathroom

I have quite a soft spot for bathtubs and the one in the en suite bathroom did not disappoint.  It is easily big enough for two people and the bath products are so good that I was contemplating figuring out a way to take them home with me.

Home Hotel

Home Hotel

The Extras

Included in the room’s price is a gourmet breakfast in the hotel’s adjoining restaurant/bar.

Home Hotel

Each morning, I woke up with the biggest smile on my face in anticipation for the culinary delights that awaited me.  It is apparent that every single detail is thought about while preparing the morning menu.  There is definitely an abundance of creativity in their kitchen.

Home Hotel

Oh, and the café lattes are simply to-die-for!

Home Hotel

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

Honestly, it would be impossible for me to choose the one thing that I loved the most about this hotel.  From the moment I checked in to the moment I checked out I was impressed.  The thing that touched me the most though was something I discovered in the loft.  To others, it is just a decoration.  To me, however, it was a sign that, “home is truly where the heart is.”  You see, I had come to Buenos Aires to surprise my husband for his Birthday and Buzios, where the below decoration was made, is where we became engaged and is where we want to move to in the future.  The synchronicity of it all was almost unbelievable!

Home Hotel

Social Media

Andi’s Pick: Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

97 Replies

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui: Easter Island, Chile

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

First Impression

Choosing where to stay on Easter Island was a month long process.  I wanted to stay somewhere luxurious, since I was already spoiling myself with this trip to the most remote island in the world.  However, the options were limited to either hostels/two-star hotels or Explora (in case you are not familiar with the latter, the place will run you at least $1000/night).  Just as I was about to settle for the best two-star hotel, my travel agent discovered a new boutique hotel that was opening right in time for my visit and the price was perfect.  If that is not fate, I do not know what it is?

Location

Easter Island is a small island, thus most of the hotels are located in one central place, which is exactly where Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui can be found.

The Room

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui is part of the Chilean hotel group called Hotel Altiplanico.  The following is their ambitious mission statement:

Our concept is to offer maximum hospitality under the idea of hotels as a home, in parallel with respect for nature; architecture submits itself to nature and merges with it.

I believe they accomplished it with their property on Easter Island.  From the second I arrived, I felt like I was at home, because the staff made sure I was comfortable at all times, and they definitely respected their surrounding environment in the construction of the hotel — incorporating elements of the island throughout the entire property.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

My room was simple, yet elegant.  And that is all I needed, because at the end of the day I was there to see the Moai, not to luxuriate in my hotel room.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

The Bathroom

The en suite bathroom, like the bedroom, was designed so that guests would feel at one with nature.  In the evening, if you took a shower, you could see the stars twinkling above.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

The room came with a private backyard that had a little “pod” I could lounge in.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

The backyard also happened to come with a view of a lone Moai in the distance!

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

The Extras

The solar-power heated pool was incredibly refreshing after my daily excursions around the island and it too came with a view of the ocean and was landscaped beautifully.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

Easter Island is a mysterious and seductive place and no matter where you stay you will have an unforgettable experience, however I highly recommend enriching your visit with a stay at Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.  My absolute favorite thing about the hotel was the open-aired restaurant.  The gourmet meals that I was provided with were so delicious that I had every single meal there, except for one dinner.  Expect a full buffet spread every morning for breakfast that I promise you will miss once you leave.

Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui

Andi’s Pick: Casa 32

71 Replies

Casa 32: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Casa 32

First Impression

After my flights and tours were booked, the last thing left to decide was where I would stay in Rio. I searched tirelessly to find an affordable place near the beaches of Copacabana or Ipanema, however the cheapest room I could find was around $500/night and I would not have even paid $100 to stay at these places. After much thought, I decided to search for either a boutique hotel or B&B further inside the city. I figured I could just hop in a taxi whenever I wanted to go to the beach. I am not sure how I stumbled across Casa 32, but thankfully I did, because it is a magnificent property! I was shocked that they still had availability when I inquired, as most places are booked almost a year in advance for New Year’s Eve.

Location

Casa 32 has an incredibly rich history that dates back to the 17th Century. Some very famous people have owned it and several years ago an extraordinary man named Lucio bought the property and with the help of his equally extraordinary daughter, Joana, turned it into a pousada. While it lies in the center of Rio, you truly feel like you have escaped the city when you are there. It is located in a small picturesque square, Largo do Boticario, that lies off a main street. Surrounding the pousada is the Atlantic rainforest and from the grounds you have a view of Christ the Redeemer.

Casa 32

The Room

There are two suites inside the neo-colonial mansion. Each one features baroque handcrafted ceilings and originally painted Portuguese tiles. The pousada is both stylishly and luxuriously decorated. As I walked up the sweeping iron and marble staircase to my suite, I truly felt like royalty.

Casa 32

My suite consisted of two rooms: a living room with two couches and bar and a bedroom with a King sized bed, desk, and flat-screen TV. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos to share, but trust me when I tell you that the suite is nothing less than impressive.

The Bathroom

Not only did the ensuite bathroom contain one of the largest Jacuzzi’s I have ever seen, it also contained a huge shower.

The Extras

In the morning a cook prepares delicious gourmet breakfasts and in the afternoon she bakes traditional cakes and sets out coffee and tea. Upon arrival, a cell phone is given to all guests. Also, there are two glamorous pools on the grounds where I spent many hours taking in the glorious Brasilian sunshine.

Casa 32

Casa 32

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

The best part about Casa 32 were the owners, whom treated me like family. They invited me to meals and engaged me in conversations for hours. At the end of my stay they even invited me to join them on vacation in Europe!