Travel: How to Spend Three Days in Paris

May 11, 2022 | Leave a Reply

Our trip to France this year was a week in length, and we wanted to visit two areas: Paris and Nice. We spent three nights in each city, and our days were full from morning to night. In Paris, we wanted to see the main monuments, many of which I had not seen in many years.

Here’s how we spent our time in Paris.

Day 1: Arc de Triomphe & Eiffel Towel

Our plane landed in the morning, and it was so convenient to have the airport shuttle waiting for us on arrival. After dropping off our luggage and freshening up, we were ready to start walking. We walked on the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. We walked up and enjoyed the views in all directions. The Arc de Triomphe is one of my favourite monuments to visit in Paris. From there, we walked to the Eiffel Tower and, naturally, climbed more stairs.

Day 2: Palais de Versailles

On our second day, we were up and at ’em early to catch a train to Versailles. We spent the full day at the Palace of Versailles, and it was great. The palace is incredible. It’s so opulent, and there’s design inspiration in every corner. While we bought tickets in advance, the palace was so busy, and each room was quite crowded (but maybe not even as crowded as it is in peak travel seasons). On a future visit, I would try to get a private tour, which would take us into less-frequented rooms. I downloaded the audio app to learn about the history in each room.

We splurged on a lovely lunch at Angelina, right within Versailles, which was fun. I opted for the quiche lorraine and lemon tarte, and both were excellent.

While every bit of the palace took my breath away, my favourite part of our visit was wandering around the gardens and renting a row boat.

Day 3: Jardin de Tuileries, Louvre, & Les Halles

We started our third full day with an early morning walk along the Champs Elysées, via Place de la Concorde, and the Jardin de Tuileries (another fave destination!). We bought our tickets to the Louvre in advance with an entry time of 9:30am, and by the time we left after 1pm, the museum was very busy. We were glad we started out early. Similar to Versailles, if I visited the Louvre on a future trip, I would opt for a private tour, so we could see the famous and not-so-famous sculptures and paintings more efficiently. The museum is massive, and while the map and signs are helpful, it can still be an overwhelming experience. The visit was lovely, and I swooned not only over the art, but the building’s beauty. A feast for the senses!

After a leisurely lunch at nearby Café de Paris, I left the boys to wander around Saint Germain des Prés (6th arr.). We met up later with another friend at Les Halles and enjoyed a delicious meal at Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond., where we sipped on wine from St. Emilion and enjoyed deviled eggs, escargot, and duck confit. So very French! It was one of our favourite meals.

*escargot at Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond*

Day 4: Notre Dame

We spent our last half-day walking to the Notre Dame and exploring the area around it, including a visit to the well-known English bookstore Shakespeare and Company. The bookstore was a big hit with my travel companions!

I’ve been to Paris dozens of times, but each time brings something different. It’s such a magical city to get lost in! I’m always happy to offer recommendations, so if you have any questions, please ask!

Travel: Marriott’s Tampa Renaissance

August 19, 2015 | Leave a Reply

I have to share a recent positive experience I had with the Marriott. I was not in any way compensated for this review, but since I received such incredible service, I feel like sharing. There are good people out there who really seem to love their job, and when I meet people like this (who also treat me so well), I do what I can to recognize them and spread the word. So, here we go.

First, a bit of a lead up…

On my way back from Florida a couple of weeks ago, after sitting around the Tampa airport for 6 hours, my flight (via WestJet) was cancelled (due to weather). The passengers were definitely ticked off (I felt bad for those traveling with kids and those who were needing to make connecting flights). I, too, was disappointed. The fact that the flight was cancelled was definitely annoying, but the way WestJet handled the communication and service really irked me.

So when we learned that our flight was cancelled, we were also informed that we needed to go to baggage claim immediately to retrieve our luggage and that all hotel and incidental expenses were the passengers’ responsibility. (Not to get into the whole WestJet debacle…but we were all going to be booked onto another flight the next day.)

By the time I got around to calling the “hotel accommodations when flights are cancelled” number provided by WestJet, all the “discounted” hotels that were reserved for cancelled flights were full. My annoyance level grew instantly (service like this drives me absolutely nuts).

Trying to make the best out of a crummy situation, I got online and looked up hotels close to the airport. The first call I made was to the Marriott Tampa Renaissance reservation department. The Renaissance is definitely a luxury hotel, but I crossed my fingers that there would be a room available on such short notice (with a decent rate, of course! pushing my luck, right?).

Well, Ms. Emily over in the reservation department was on the other end of the phone, and she was incredibly friendly and understanding of my situation. When I asked for the “my flight is cancelled and I really would love to stay in a fabulous hotel with a great bed for an evening in Tampa,” she laughed and assured me that she would find the best possible rate for me. She called me by name (I always like this), persisted, and was extremely polite. She booked me into a room at the Renaissance within minutes and gave me a competitive rate. I was pumped! She honestly brightened by afternoon!

And now, here’s what I thought about the Marriott’s Tampa Renaissance.

The lobby is grand with welcoming and modern seating arrangements.

There is a bit of Italian signage on the room floors, which makes me happy.

The artwork around the hotel is lovely, but it is this simple drawing that was hung in my room that I really liked.

My Tuscan-inspired room was very well-appointed. My king size bed was ridiculously comfortable (how do hotels do it!?), and the terry robe is one that I think I just have to purchase. It was perfect. Aveda products fill the large bathroom. My room faced the pretty courtyard, and the pool and gym are added conveniences (too bad it rained).Finally, the hotel is attached to one of Tampa’s great malls – the International Plaza – awesome!

My day ended up being much (much!) better than how it started, and I definitely owe Ms. Emily a thank you for helping to turn things around for me!

Travel: Kobe Kitano Japan

July 9, 2015 | 3 Commentaries

Ever since my visit to Langdon Hall, I’ve been hooked on the Relais & Chateaux website. Relais & Chateaux hotels are the finest from around the world; they have some of the best restaurants, incredible service, and extremely well-appointed rooms.

One gorgeous Relais & Chateaux hotels is the Kobe Kitano Hotel in Japan. Stunning! I’m adding it to my “must see in Japan” list. I’m also going to buy a lottery ticket.

Travel: Review of the Four Points by Sheraton – Kingston, Ontario

January 28, 2015 | 1 Commentary

A couple of weekends ago, I drove myself over to one of my most favourite places in Ontario – Kingston. I love this little town. The downtown is quaint, it’s easy to navigate, and the lakefront location is pretty darn perfect. I hadn’t been to Kingston for over a year, so I was very eager to plan a little getaway.

I booked myself into the Four Points by Sheraton Kingston because it’s centrally located – just a block away (barely even a full block) from the market square and city hall. It’s a block up from the lake and tourism office in another direction, and it’s a couple of blocks away from the park in yet another direction. The location is ideal for a city visit!

White-Cabana-Four Points Sheraton-Kingston-1

The rooms are very well-appointed; plenty of towels, a bathrobe, a fridge, and a microwave certainly come in handy, even for just an overnight stay. My king-size bed was ridiculously comfortable (I am now looking into the possibility of ordering a Sheraton mattress! Thanks for the advice, Rox-Anne!) and I very much loved the view of the lake (even though it was icy and snowy).

king size bed – I want one!

super white bathrooms make me happy

sitting area (or place to dump my clothes) with a view of the lake

I brewed some tea.

I watched some TV.

I wore the robe.

I did not make the bed. 🙂

some handy guides

The only thing I didn’t enjoy about my stay was the cappuccino I had from the hotel restaurant (King Street Sizzle). It just did not suit my tastebuds. Then again, I am sort of particular about coffee.

If anyone is heading to Kingston, I would definitely recommend booking a room in the Four Points by Sheraton. If you would like my advice about some things to do in the city, come back tomorrow as I’ll be sharing my weekend recap.

Although I did in fact book a room at the Four Points by Sheraton Kingston, the hotel surprised me with a complimentary stay. Thanks to Erin and her team for making my experience at the Four Points extra special!