STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

dc · Dooney & Bourke

solo vacations

JackieO527 · Dooney & Bourke

How about aruba, it looks as if the weather will be good for your dates of travel...

kealoha · Kate Spade

Come to Honolulu! The weather's been pretty nice so far & it looks like the rain we had @ NY's is gone. Sony Open will still be going on if you're into golf, but overall, occupancy tends to be low this time of year.

Only problem you may encounter is getting stuck getting to & from Honolulu if there's airport closures due to weather. Other than that, it's whale season & they're visible from many shores.

cc · Marc Jacobs

There is a major Raphael exhibit in London that closes on the 16th so you could just catch that.

I'm trying to think of places that would be good for a weekend and have decent weather. San Diego? Dallas has a lot of important museum stuff going on (the new modern museum designed by Tadao Ando, new sculpture museum).

My coworker recently went to Buenos Aires and said it was a good place for a long weekend and is really cheap. The only problem is that the flight is long.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Hmmm.... I am actually gonig to San Diego for a meeting next month for a week, and to Hawaii (Kauai) for another meeting this fall (I *think*), so while those are nice ideas. off the table.

Also seem to be limited by freq flyer mile availability. I can go to Cancun (actually, I want to rent a car and drive south to Tulum where there are gorgeous and cheap eco-resorts) but the weather forcast says rain... what I want to know is, does that mean all day or just in the afternoons (or is that weather pattern more typical of islands?).

Aruba has flights available, but man are those hotels steep! I don't want to pay $200 a night for some touristy place.

London = too cold... I am really thinking warm. Although I do have a dear friend I could visit there, but I think maybe this summer.

What do you guys think - risk the mexico weather or try to find a budget hotel in Aruba? I might be able to do St Thomas as well, perhaps taking the ferry to St John's...

Argh! I sort of have to hurry, too, before flights book up.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I would go with trying to find a budget hotel in aruba first and if that fails go with mexico. Weather is so unpredictable.

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

i've been to tulum when it was raining, and wouldn't do it again, knowing what you know about the forecast. the problem is that there is not much to do when it rains because everything is sort of geared to the beautiful outdoor setting and beaches. and if it is raining, it pours rain for the entire day--not like hawaii where it rains for 30 min. and clears up. it's very jungle-y there and has the typical rainforest weather. just my 2 cents, but i wouldn't waste my weekend if i were you--save that trip for a sunny weekend!

dc · Dooney & Bourke

bumblebee, oh dear... I have already booked my trip to Tulum (I just wasn't that excited about staying at a less than stellar hotel in aruba - the pickings looked slim, and having stayed in a so-so caribbean hotel before, I didn't feel like shelling out... plus the only flight option I had would have made me also stay over 1 ngiht between flgihts at LaGuardia - there weree much better flgihts into cancun)... but on the bright side, the weather forecast doesn't look all that bad. Showers only appear to be scattered and the chance in terms of % is pretty low anyway. I'll risk it and if it rains I'll read. I just want to be alone and get some rest (and given that my resort has no electricity or real activities except yoga and spa, I think I will!) The only thing that concerns me is if the roof on my cabana leaks if it does rain! However, the resort at which I am supposed to stay is the nicest of the eco-resorts, so I will hope for the best. Or I can head to the main building and wait it out.

Since you were in Tulum, what do you think about the general safety? Any tips? It seems pretty safe and quiet.

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

where are you staying, maya tulum? if so, they will at least have yoga classes and various indoor things to do if it rains. but it sounds like maybe it won't after all--i didn't look at the forecast, but from your earlier post it sounded like you were very sure it was going to. if there is only a small chance, then you may be just fine.

you will definitely be able to relax--you are going to a very relaxing place. i do not know much about the town of tulum (i think there is actually not much of a town at all), but there are some beautiful ruins right on the water that you can take a cab to and then hike up from the road. the whole area seems fairly safe--i didn't feel intimidated or anything there--i mean, it's like anywhere else, you keep your eyes open, etc., but nothing out of the ordinary. it is very quiet and beautiful. there was a wonderful "secret" beach that a local guy we met took us to--i'll look up the name for you if you want--it was the most beautiful beach i've ever seen. it's kind of rural there, and things are very spread apart, so if you aren't going to have a car you will end up spending quite a bit in cab fares if you want to venture away from your resort. although if you are just there for the weekend, you might be happiest just settling in there and not bothering.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Well, I *thought* I was staying at Azucal, but apaprently they had no rooms after all - a bit of a delay with the booking service. Can you recommend anything peaceful and fabulous? Their sister resort Copal is sold out... the other sister - Zahra - is not, but I don't like the roomns they have available for 1 person - no view.

I don't want to go to Maya Tulum... too many skinny chic yoga chicks. I want to feel good about myself, not fat. Plus, I don't do yoga.

Help!

-- Edited by dc at 20:09, 2005-01-10

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

yikes! did your booking service have any other suggestions? they should fix it for you since they gave you bad info. i haven't stayed in tulum, so i can't offer any suggestions that i have any personal experience with, and i hesitate to post pix of places that i haven't seen first-hand.

WAIT! i think there was a suggestion on daily candy--let me check their archives. i actually do trust their recommendations most of the time.

-- Edited by bumblebee at 20:38, 2005-01-10

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

http://www.dailycandy.com/article.jsp?ArticleId=20862&city=4

here's what i was thinking of. this one looks pretty good. i have also heard good things about this one http://www.anayjose.com/ but, **i have not stayed there myself**. allegedly they have a good restaurant.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Hi Bumblee - Thanks for all of your help... I could not get a room for all of my days at anywhere (including the ones you suggested) where I'd feel comfortable by myself (where I could get a lot of privacy, no kids, somewhat upscale, restaurant and bar on premesis so I wouldn't have to eat in town alone, etc). So I gave up and booked at this place farther up towaard cancun (20 miles south of cancun) called Ceiba del Mar. They have lots to keep me busy rain or shine - full spa, yoga, close to ruins, etc... I got a good deal on a suite (ocean view, balcony, hammock, etc) including breakfast delivered daily to my room.

a suite like where I am staying... you can open the little shutters while you have a candlelit bath:

one of the pools:

a view.. I think this is from the paviliion they use for yoga and weddings:

little rooftop jacuzzis & deck chairs on each building. each rooftop also has its own bar and bartender/concierge and you can get your dinner delivered there privately:

sunset...

dining

another pool

-- Edited by dc at 17:46, 2005-01-11

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

wow, dc--that looks beautiful! i was wondering what you ended up deciding--that looks like a fantastic choice! please post a review when you get back and let us know how it was--i really love that part of the world and would like to have recs for places to stay when i go back. have a great trip!