Los Colorados Cabañas: Missing the Mark in Purmamarca
April 22, 2018
You so much want the super cute cabañas to be all they can be. Sadly, it’s close but no cigar at Los Colorados. Purmamarca is a cute town. The landscape is spectacular and easy to hike around. The design is enticing and nice. The staff is helpful and gracious.
So what’s the problem? The problem seems to be the plumbing. Swamp gas in the small bathroom (and also wafting around the property) is masked by deodorizer and insecticide to such an extent that breathing is non-trivial. Seriously, NPS gets a sore throat just thinking about it.
And the shower? Nope.
Anyway, just look how cute this place is. Here is Cabaña 2.
living area
bamboo ceiling
The tile is great. Even the bathroom (though very small) looks good. Sadly, that plumbing thing. Not only is the shower plastic (and over a tub) but the water goes pretty much all over the place. Just no.
Then again, there is a rooftop terrace.
rooftop terrace
And there is this.
Lunch at La posta is workaday, but not bad. Beer is always good.
A hike outside of Tilcara to Garganta del Diablo occupied much of the afternoon. No water. Dinner in Tilcara at El Nuevo Progreso was quirky and decent. Great trout in saffron sauce, outstanding fried cheese appetizer, and a great desert. Worth a visit.
Back in Purmamarca, a hike around los colorados is quick and easy. The landscape is remarkable (about more which later).
Anyway if they rip out the plumbing and replace it, perhaps. But for now, two sad showerheads for a place with lots of potential.
Hotel Altos de la Viña: Jujuy Charm and Grace
April 21, 2018
Pretty much the middle of nowhere—well kinda. There are 250K people in this city of San Salvador de Jujuy, and way more lights than we have any where within 8 miles of our house. However, when you are staying in the gateway to the Argentinean Andes, this is where you stay.
Hotel Altos de la Viña has it going on. We arrived around 9:30pm after negotiating a rental car from the airport and finding our way slightly north. What a room! But no time to explore that. Instead, it was “drop off the stuff” and head straight back down to town.
Dinner at Viracocha restaurant (Facebook sucks, but here) was all it was cracked up to be. In fact, the Argentine-bonus Fodor’s guide (which we usually triangulate around) is right on the money way up here in Jujuy. Make sure you get a copy when you come this way.
The food was remarkably tasty. Llama. Park illegally—everyone does it.
Then it was back up the hill to the unmarked 111.
111 entrance
el coucho
this desk is a great place to write some shit down
See?
Room 111 is a suite with the only real balcony on the property. Get this room.
111 sticks out
111 has a zebra bed
And a very fancy closet
And this chair, which you will never use
The bathroom is a good deal. As is almost always the case, glass showers come with ridiculous tubs that never get used.
like this
Euro-shower (Martin says this is not allowed)
If you travel for 24 hours in a row, sleeping comes easy.
Wake up to this!
one way
or another
Have breakfast on the hill
One of the main interesting things about Jujuy so far is the distinct lack of Norte Americanos. There are lots of tourists, to be sure. But there are Porteños all over, and a few others, but not many gringos. We approve.
Up in the morning, we had something that was supposed to be a cappucino but which may have just been a hot chocolate. Then it was north in the rental car.
This place is incredible.
More to come tomorrow.
Four showerheads, a view not to be beat, and some espresso for Altos de la Viña.
Pit Stop in Buenos Aires: Fierro Hotel Steps Up
April 21, 2018
The flight to Buenos Aires from Newark is 11 hours and 5 minutes. The great news about such a long flight is that there is actually time enough to watch a movie, have a real sleep, and eat a good breakfast before you land. As has been the case for multiple trips in a row, United’s Polaris service (international) is second to none. Best pods. Best crew. Most flight options. Well done United. Please bring some of that goodness home to domestic flying!
Customs is now efficient in Argentina, and there is no visa tax for walking across the boarder. To be on the safe side, we set up our flight to JuJuy later in the day to give us plenty of time to be late, get stuck at customs, and otherwise be afflicted by travel woes. Of course, none of that happened.
Plan B was to take a taxi in to our hotel in Buenos Aires where we plan to check in on Monday. This was our attempt to shower in an unoccupied room, consolidate luggage, and then have lunch in the city. Thanks to the very kind people at the Fierro Hotel, we did it all and had a glass of wine in the lobby to boot. Awesome.
Room 42 is a standard issue Fierro room according to the map on the door. Modern appointment and amenities are all in abundance.
42 sitting area
From the windows in
The shower, though on the small side and a bit cramped in the bathroom, is not plastic. And boy does it feel good after being trapped in a plane for 12 hours!
ahhhhh
So a quick shower and a rearrangement of luggage (we’ll store two pieces in Buenos Aires) had us out the door before noon. That was plenty of time to find a cooperating ATM and a bistrot.
Oui Oui cafe in Palermo is recommended, but brig ear plugs if you are sensitive to noise. If you are used to rock and roll in small places, everything will be fine.
Coffee at Birkin is taken very seriously, and to good effect. (All they have is a lame ass Facebook link, so here.)
Then it was off to the other airport to fly to JuJuy.
Worth noting is the fact that Aerolinea Argentina has better equipment than United does for domestic flights. Better food too. The two hour and 15 minute flight was smooth once we negotiated the typical Argentinean boarding scrum (which for some reason always involves some sort of confusion).
Everything is slower in Jujuy, and that is just fine. For the record, that includes baggage claim, car rental, and dinner. Time to slow down.
Hotel Duxiana, Malmö, Sweden = Hot
April 5, 2018
From the swank common areas, through the central location in the city, to the glass shower situation, Hotel Duxiana is on fire. The food is great too.
After a late day flying in from Austria, arriving at 10:15pm was a relief. Ahhhhh. We were assigned room 201, which allowed us to quickly charge up the dead phone and head out for a very late dinner.
201 is small, but very nice. The bed is comfortable, and the design elements are modern.
201 bed
seat 1
seat 2
through the looking glass
The bathroom could be bigger, but the shower meets all criteria.
NPS approved
Dinner turned out to be Priorat and some charcuterie at l’enoteca less than a block from the hotel. Recommended.
Morning came too early (at 5:45am) followed by all day meetings. A respite after meeting one involved lunch at the Duxiana. Outstanding food and a real buzz in the common area. Who knew?!
This hotel food is just as delicious as it looks.
duxiana kitchen
What puts Duxiana over the top are the common areas.
all hail the book
Kockeriet is a world-class place for an excellent dinner. Here are pictures from a 7 course meal with a wine pairing.
Then it was off for cocktails around midnight. This turns out to be a thing in Sweden. What we learned: avoid Bastard at all costs, no service vibe; instead go to MJ’s which fit the bill perfectly.
Adjusted sazarac (peach bitters, half cognac)
After hours at MJ’s with fernet until 3am
Five showerheads and a Swedish massage to the Hotel Duxiana. NPS will be back for sure.
United Polaris Global First is a good thing. There is nothing to complain about at all, really. In fact, as we’ll see here, the pods in Polaris First beat the pods in Polaris BusinessFirst hands down. The real question is, is the price delta (on the order of $5000 to $10,000 for some routes) worth the plus up in service?
Lets find out.
Here is what a Polaris BusinessFirst pod looks like
And by comparison, here is what a Polaris Global First pod looks like
There are 8 First pods on the 777, and two sections of Business pods lined 6 across (versus 4).
Seat layout on the United 777 version 1
The first class pod is much roomier. It is both longer and wider, and it is easier to sleep in. Of course, sleep does not come easy on these flights!
The first pod also has lots of compartments for stashing your stuff. This appeals to my anal sensibilities. I like consolidating and stashing stuff.
The food is exactly the same. I mean exactly. Hint: get the thai chicken udon noodles and the garlic bread.
The service is also pretty much the same. Maybe one notch more attentive in Global First, which can at times be a bit over the top.
Bathroom access is, surprisingly, better in Business. That’s because on the 777 at least, you share the bathroom with the flight crew.
Oh, and the wifi is the same. It doesn’t work.
Bottom line? Polaris BusinessFirst is definitely worth the cash outlay, but Polaris Global First, being mostly the same is something to cross your fingers for and hope for that upgrade.
Though NPS has been to Austria on multiple occasions, Graz is a new city for us. Of course, Graz is not really new — it has been here since the Copper Age (5000 BCE). So where do you stay when you go to Graz? Hotel Wiesler fits the bill.
Graz
After a fitful trip across the pond (in United Polaris First no less) and a connection made by less than three minutes, we arrived early at the very small Graz airport. A taxi into town took 30 minutes.
Fortunately, our room was ready to go. Boy did we need a long shower after all of that metal tubing! We were assigned room 418.
Like Graz itself, Hotel Wiesler is in an old facade but is quirky and modern inside. 418 reflects its metropolitan surroundings.
One bit room 418
Movable study nook
Sink in the room (mexican pottery?! OK)
The very nice shower indeed is built right into the room. Excellent design, and no plastic in sight.
NPS approved shower
You can see the old coming through in the design, with rough walls exposed. Graz did the same thing with Kuntshaus Graz, a modern museum seemingly dropped from space right into the middle of town. Sadly, the Kuntshaus was full of nothing as they are between exhibitions at the moment. But the architecture is remarkable and remarkably weird.
kunsthaus graz
View from Kuntshaus
Nothing more need be said
One of the most popular old restaurants in a town that likes to eat is just behind hotel Wiesler. In fact, you can see it out the windows of 418.
Gasthaus zur Alten Press
see
Beware the weiner schnitzel, which comes in very delicious but huge servings.
Dinner on top of the hill at Aiola Upstairs was pretty not bad. Getting up there via stairs is the way to do it!
The dreaded stairs
Hotel Wiesler in view
pagota
top castle and armory from 1500s
Cocktails in Graz is a possibility. See Landhaus Keller.
Hote Wiesler makes the grade. Four showerheads and a big thank you for the very early checkin!
Spring in Lynchburg: The Craddock Terry Hotel
March 29, 2018
Spring by the James river
In the 30 or so years since NPS has been to Lynchburg, time mostly stood still. The town feels historical and has paid attention to proper rejuvenation preserving its architecture.
The Craddock Terry Hotel was created in an old shoe factory. They did a good job. Definitely request room 101, a suite with its own balcony.
The balcony is a great place for a muffin
The room itself is nicely appointed, with a style reflecting the ’80s. The carpet needs to be replaced, but the rest of the design elements can stay. Because of the factory building infrastructure, the ceiling is outstanding.
Sitting room (that carpet not so much)
Sitting room, brick and beams
Desk nook by a rubble wall
Bedroom. The ceiling and the walls are great
Rivets
And the bathroom fits the bill as well.
Nice large glass cube of a shower
Sinks
All told, we’re super glad that the Craddock Terry is here. If we ever find ourselves back in Lynchburg (say in 30 years), we will be back.
In other Lynchburg news, Main Street Eatery is old school and very civilized. Our server was overwhelmed by a huge table (since he was a newb), but the food was delicious. Expect prefunctory, not very gracious hospitality.
The White Hart Cafe is a great place to grab a coffee and a piece of poppyseed cake.
As for mixology in Lynchburg. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Four showerheads and a knowing nod to the Craddock Terry.
