Budget-friendly hotel in Bruges: Hotel Fevery

This hotel is awesome and just off the beaten path in Bruges.  Paul, the owner, is super friendly in a reserved, endearing, European way.  The breakfasts are tasty and served in a cozy room.  The hotel is "green" so the water pressure isn't great, but that's what you should expect in an ecohotel.  Apart from the service, the best part about this hotel is the price.  We got a 2-room suite (with a shared bathroom) for 250 euros (the two-night total!)  I'm sure it's higher in the summer, but this was my second trip to Bruges in March and winter is a magical time to visit Bruges.

Also, there is a direct bus you can take here from the Bruges train station.  It is a short walk from the bus stop and a lot cheaper than a taxi.

Two Rooms in Dublin

I had the pleasure of staying at Two Rooms in Dublin when I was there this past February. From the moment we arrived I felt at home, as Garvan brought us freshly made scones and proper Irish tea to enjoy in the dining room. Fred the dog welcomed us as well.  This bed and breakfast is just what the name suggests: two charming rooms within Garvan and Kevin's lovely home. We had the downstairs room which featured beautiful furniture and a cozy fireplace. Every night on our walk back, we could text Garvan and he would have the fireplace lit and ready. There are no electronic distractions in the rooms, apart from an old-fashioned radio. You will wake rested and refreshed every morning. And then slowly, you'll make your way to the dining room for one of Garvan's masterpieces. It could be fresh fruit and yogurt, a smoked salmon scramble, french toast with blueberry compote. You will eat well and you will eat a lot. You may end up buying the Two Rooms in Dublin cookbook as I did, so you can try to master their scones at home. And that might be just enough to tide you over until you can return to Two Rooms.

Solo Travel in Malta: Hostel Malti in St. Julian's

Last summer I embarked on my first "Solo Trip."  I stayed with friends in Turkey, the Canary Islands, and the Costa Brava, but the rest of my travels were truly "solo."  In Malta, I stayed at Hostel Malti and it was the best lodging experience of my entire trip!

I arrived on a Sunday evening and Aaron, one of Hostel Malti's managers came down to the lobby to help me check in.  He explained that I had arrived in time for their weekly rooftop BBQ so I made my way up there after dropping off my bags.  11 euros buys you tasty grilled meats, salads, and all the sangria your heart desires.  Everyone was really friendly and welcoming and having dinner under the open air (while fireworks exploded in the sky for one of Malta's ubiquitous summer festivals) was the perfect way to kick off my stay.

Everyone working at Hostel Malti was fabulous.  Aaron took us out my first night there and showed us the buzzing nightlife of St. Julians.  Chris, Hostel Malti's owner, was just as awesome and helped drive us to the boat to Comino one day.  (If you get the chance, ride in the back of the jeep- you won't regret it!)

Another thing I loved about Hostel Malti was the delicious "English" breakfast cooked by in-house jack-of-all-trades, Violetta, a sweet woman from Spain.  Breakfasts are optional but I sure didn't mind forking over 4 euros every morning to enjoy her hearty home-cooked fare.  I loved the roasted peppers and onions and the meat, eggs, and beans were all I needed to get my day started on the right foot.  (I didn't even need to eat until dinner.)

What would Hostel Malti be without its resident cat?  This cutie often hung out by the front door, and most definitely knew all the goings-on about Hostel Malti's travelers.

In a nutshell:
PROS
☻welcoming community environment (There were many solo travelers and everyone in the hostel hung out together)
☻cost (very, very reasonable)
☻location (just up the steep hill from the beach and nightlife)
☻food (Sunday rooftop BBQs, tasty breakfasts)

CONS
☻none!

One more cool thing I experienced?
A blowout for 9 euros by the lovely Joana.  I noticed her ad on Hostel Malti's bulletin board in the common area.  My long, curly hair and the Maltese sun and saltwater don't mix so I took advantage of Joana's great deal.  I called and booked an appointment and she showed up with her blowdryer and gave me a grew blowout for my last night in Malta.  (Be sure and wash your hair right before your appointment so that it is ready to be blow-dried as she does not have these facilities.)

Hostel Malti is located at 41 Birkirkara Hill, Ta' Giorni in St Julians, Malta

Solo Travel in Lisbon: Hostel Independente Review

Last summer, I embarked upon my first "solo-trip", after travel plans with a friend fell through.  It ended up being a great experience and I have plans to do it again.  I decided to stay in hostels in the cities where I had no connections, and selected Hostel Independente for my visit to Lisbon. Overall, it wasn't the experience I'd hoped for (but my stay at Hostel Malti in Malta more than made up for it), so I wanted to share what I observed there in Lisbon.

Pros:
☻Location-this hostel is located in the lively Bairro Alto district and is literally across the street from a gorgeous park looking out over the city. 
☻Price- like most hostels, it was reasonably priced and this one included breakfast
☻Cleanliness- for being a hostel, the rooms were quite immaculate

Cons: 
☻Environment- it wasn't very welcoming, and most people staying there weren't solo travelers. I think this was partly due to the size- it was quite a big hostel and didn't have a big community feel. Most travelers tended to "do their own thing" during the day and just use the hostel as a base for sleep.  I eagerly signed up for a "dine with the staff" meal on my first night and ended up being the only traveler attending (despite a full hostel!), where I ate mediocre food as the staff spoke Portuguese amongst themselves.  The hostel even has a restaurant open to non-hotel guests for dinner, so it was easy to get lost in the crowd. This ended up making it feel more like a hotel than a hostel.
☻Bathrooms- the toilet stalls were about 4.5 feet tall and many of the doors didn't lock. 
☻Rooms- this complaint is minor, but the lockers were very difficult to open and close (and insert the padlock every time) so arriving back to the room at night when others were sleeping posed a problem.
☻Bar- there were positives and negatives to this bar. The drinks were pretty good and the bartenders were friendly. The seating design was terrible.  There were tall bar stools to sit on but no room for your legs underneath the counter. Additionally, the counter was much higher than chest-height which made it really awkward and uncomfortable to sit and stay awhile. (Hence, I only ran into a few people there.)

Overall, I probably wouldn't stay here again, especially as a solo traveler.  For me, the point of staying in a hostel (more than just saving money) is to feel part of a traveling community and I just didn't get that vibe here.  Luckily, my trip wasn't finished, and my final stop on my solo trip included an amazing hostel experience (which I'll be writing about in the future).

Hotel Misc in Amsterdam

On my first trip to Amsterdam, I decided to stay at the Hotel Misc (Eat Drink Sleep) after reading about it online.  The location was great- it was a relatively easy 10 minute walk from the train station to the hotel.  My three favorite things about the hotel were: the breakfasts, overall comfort, and the location.

Insanely comfortable beds

 Unlimited complimentary mini-bar

Peaceful garden view

 Delicious daily breakfasts (amazing granola, toast and jam, cheese and meat, croissants, bacon and eggs, fruit, fresh-squeezed OJ, etc.)

Hotel Misc is located at Kloveniersburgwal 20 in Amsterdam

Posh Palm Springs

I love the desert.  I love its diversity.  It's not just the sandy Sahara (though I was awestruck by that).  The California desert is beautiful in its own right.  And Palm Springs is a perfect introduction to this part of the state.  The first time I visited was on spring break in college five years ago.  My brother and I somehow thought it was a good idea to do Palm Springs as a day trip from LA.  Twice.  Now, don't get me wrong.  It's not far at all (especially if you avoid rush hour while pushing 80-85 on the CA-60 as I did this last week.  I don't advise that btw).  But it deserves to be savored slowly.  It's the desert after all.  And if you've ever been to a desert climate, you know that life moves a little differently.  For me, that means relaxing at a lovely bed and breakfast.  Sitting by the pool while reading a Swedish mystery.  Venturing out for a hike.  Playing mini golf at night.    

Well, Posh Palm Springs is the perfect place to do all of the above and more.

This was our room.  The owners, Suzy and Mike, completely renovated a gay men's hotel  (Palm Springs has a very large gay and lesbian community) that was falling apart, literally.  I saw the pictures.  It was pretty serious work- everything was in terrible condition.  But they must have seen its potential.

Because they transformed it into this.  Paradise.  

The filthy jacuzzi from the 70's was replaced with this beauty.  Every night, under the cold desert sky, we'd run out here in our robes for a quick soak.  

And every evening at 4pm (5pm in the warmer months), show up at the bar because it's happy hour.  

Suzy and her son will provide you with a new spread every night.  Platters of meat and cheeses.  Homemade artichoke and jalapeno dip.  Fruit.  Iced tea, wine, beer, cocktails.  Take as little or as much as you like.  They'll even get the fire pit started for you.  

Then they show you where the extra wood is since you show no sign of leaving the warmth, bake some fresh chocolate chip cookies and tell you they'll see you in the morning.

And this is what you wake up to.  A delicious buffet of home-cooked goodness.  The first morning, it's an egg omelet, home fries, bacon, yogurt and fruit.  All the coffee, tea, and juice you could ask for.  The second day featured French Toast Casserole.  It was even better than it sounds.  I'll have to share the recipe eventually.

Afternoon moon by the pool

So if you're not sure if the desert is your thing, dip your feet in Posh.  I guarantee you'll be coming back for more.

Posh is located at 530 East Mel Avenue in Palm Springs, just off of N Indian Canyon Drive.

Hotel Villa Schuler in Taormina

This summer marked our first return to Taormina since falling in love with it in 2006.  We stayed in one of the most beautiful hotels that I have ever stayed in, the Hotel Villa Schuler. 

No attention to detail was missing, from the beautiful stairs leading to the hotel's own private garden to the fish pond to the breathtaking balconies.  This wonderful video shows how lovely the hotel is as well as the beauty of Taormina.  I am so grateful for the wonderful memories we had this summer in my favorite place in the world.

 One of the many highlights of the hotel was the breakfasts on the terrace.  We dined on juicy peaches, German pancakes dusted with sugar, omelets, and a wonderful selection of cheeses and pastries.  We lingered at our table, taking in the drop-off view of the sea and savoring every bite of food while washing it all down with cappuccinos, blood orange juice, and refreshing granitas in fragola and caffe flavors, topped with a generous heaping of whipped cream.

 Soft cheeses like buffalo mozzarella and ricotta

 Cheeses like provolone, meats

Fluffy omelets

 German pancake

Sicilians know how to do breakfast-I had a strawberry granita every morning

What to Do in Martha's Vineyard in the Offseason

{The Hob Knob Inn}

In all the times I've spent back east on the South Shore in Massachusetts, I had never ventured beyond Cape Cod. Last October, we decided to change that and booked a long-weekend stay on Martha's Vineyard. I loved the hotel we stayed at in Edgartown, The Hob Knob Inn, and we were lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the low-season prices.  They serve a lovely, delicious breakfast and afternoon tea/snacks (there's lemonade in the warm season).
Tip: If traveling by car to the island, you must buy/reserve your ticket in advance through Steamship Authority (well in advance if during the high season).
Where to stay: Hob Knob- a luxury boutique hotel in Edgartown- the main town on the island. Rates are steep during the high season (between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.) Try booking an off-season stay.  Enjoy an afternoon on the porch with a glass of lemonade and an intriguing book.  
What to Do: Take a drive around the island for scenic views. Don't confine yourself to the picturesque yet touristy towns like Edgartown and Vineyard Haven. Wander into a local, independent bookstore and be charmed by the local authors, including a personal favorite, Susan Branch.  Be sure and check out Oak Bluffs and its beautiful "gingerbread" style homes.  Go off the beaten path and head towards a less inhabited part of the island- venture down to Aquinnah, a beautiful seaside village with a spectacular view, a historical lighthouse, and a bit of history to go along with it.
Where to Eat: Despite the well-to-do crowd of vacationers it attracts, Martha's Vineyard is unfortunately lacking in restaurant choices- both in terms of quality and variety.  Waterside Market in Vineyard Haven was one of the few places that satisfied- go there for lunch- they have a large soup and sandwich menu.

{Gingerbread-style architecture in Oak Bluffs}

{Ferry from Woods Hole, Cape Cod}

{Gay Head lighthouse in Aquinnah}