“Hi Beau!”, I crooned, as I walked back into my suite at Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel. I knew the look on Beau’s face meant he wanted to hear all about my scooter ride (“We saw a bear!”, I told him) and that he was wondering if I was nervous about going bobsledding later. Oh, and that he’d love another fish pellet if I had any handy.
Beau joined my beau and me for our stay at Summit Lodge, a boutique hotel where you can expect fun, friendliness and something special. Beau was one of those something specials — a betta fish from Summit’s foster-a-fish program. He’s meant to help kids feel more at ease while they’re away from home, but he makes adults like me feel like a very happy kid.
More kid and kid-at-heart friendly stuff at Summit includes an afternoon selection of candy at Reception and a coffee / hot chocolate bar, complete with whipped cream and an assortment of sprinkles. All complimentary too.
Four-legged friends are also welcome, free of charge; so welcome that there’s a chalkboard at Reception listing all their names (I really wanted to meet the dog called Asparagus). Your room will be prepared with pet-friendly supplies, and Talitha, Summit’s canine ambassador, makes sure everyone is on their best behaviour. Concerned about allergies? No problem, Summit keeps several rooms pet-free and can even provide down-free pillows.
This 81-room boutique hotel caters to the grown-up side of you too. There’s a spa off the lobby — Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa — the only authentic Javanese spa in North America. If you’ve ever been to Indonesia, you know how much of a treat this is. Eco-products, a free 1-hour bike rental and luxurious bed and bath amenities all appeal.
Facilities include a heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, with a sauna just inside the door. The hotel’s back patio also has a barbecue if you’d like to eat in for dinner, plus every room (not just the suites) has a fully-equipped kitchenette.
Summit is on a quiet street away from Whistler’s bar scene, but with several great restaurants really close. You can get to Elements Urban Tapas Parlour, one of Whistler’s insider favourites, without even going outside. The walk to the ski lifts is just 7 minutes, though you can take the complimentary winter shuttle too. And of course there’s a complimentary ski and bike valet.
Attached to the hotel is Underground Tuning which provides hand-waxing and tune-ups on boards and skis — the best in Whistler. In summer you can rent a scooter or bike (including tandems) from Spitfire Scooter Rentals to see more of Whistler and its great scenery.
Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel is one of those rare hotels that makes you feel happy and special (even if you’re a jaded travel writer like me!).
From US$250 on ski-season weekdays, including wifi
– Special complimentary treats like coffees and candies turn adults into happy kids.
– Smiles all around — even the hotel’s safety signs and how-to-use-the-tv info sheet are written with a great sense of humour.
– In-room memory-making souvenir … that’s all the hint I’ll give!
– Technically not a ski-in-ski-out hotel, but pretty close with the complimentary shuttle (plus you’ll get insider info from the driver!).
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
We look out at Whistler Mountain, the base of which is right across from our balcony overlooking the pool. The mountain bikers are zooming down the slope, some making dramatic jumps, as they race to catch the next chairlift up to Whistler Mountain Bike Park, the number one lift-accessed downhill bike park in the world. These are prime seats, and even better on winter Sundays with the Fire and Ice Show right outside!
We’re in our suite at Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside, one of two Pan Pacifics in Whistler Village. The other, Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre, is just a block away and is slightly quieter (not that I was bothered by any noise), has an included breakfast, but not quite as spectacular mountain views.
All rooms at both Pan Pacifics are suites, with a fully-equipped kitchen (yup, you can make a turkey dinner if you like!); dining area; living room with pull-out couch, fireplace and TV; a bedroom with a luxe bed and another TV; and a large bathroom with Pan Pacific’s lovely amenities. The decor is slightly different in each hotel, but both can be characterized as modern mountain style. You can opt for a 2- or 3-bedroom suite with much more space if you’re travelling with a bigger group, though a family of four would be content in a regular suite.
Both hotels have outdoor heated saltwater pools with two whirlpools and a gym. The Mountainside location has a steamroom, while Village Centre has a sauna as well as a day spa.
Regardless of which hotel you choose, you’ll have the luxury of complimentary gear storage. Here in the winter? Ski almost to Whistler Moutainside’s back door and the ski valet will help you manage your gear into a locker, ready for the next morning. You can even store your boots in your warm locker so there’s no need to clomp to your room in your ski boots, nor put your feet into icy boots the next morning (that’s luxury!). The valet will store your bike of golf clubs for you in the summer too.
Both Mountainside and Village Centre give guests the luxury of Pan Pacific that you come to know and expect, with an unparalleled Whistler mountain location. Hit the slopes!
From US$200, inclusive of wifi (still a rarity in North America)
– Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, at Mountainside, has delicious food and drink (even flights of gluten-free beer!) and spectacular views of the slopes.
– Thoughtful extras you want in a ski hotel, like coin-operated laundry facilities and a big in-room drying rack.
– Can’t decide which Pan Pacific? Booking staff are experts at asking just the right questions to determine which location will suit you best.
– The mountain-base looks a bit drab and brown in the summer, though that’s very enticing from the perspective of a mountain biker!
1-888-905-9995 
Call or use website form please.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
The Mediterranean is an unusual colour off Tunisia, almost a Caribbean blue rather than the deeper blue when looking upon it from the European side. With the soft white sand of the beach at Les Orangers sparkling next to it, it looks even prettier.
I’m stretched out on my chaise longue in front of my beachfront bungalow at Les Orangers, gazing at the sea. But I realise I’m not in the Caribbean when a camel walks by the beach. Yes, you can ride a camel (well, technically a dromedary — one hump, not two) here! You can also fulfil the more common dream of riding a horse on the beach.
This is an all-inclusive beach resort, one of the original resorts in Hammamet. It caters largely to young couples, families with young children and older couples from the UK and Germany. There’s an indoor pool and an outdoor one, sauna, hammam, gym, tennis and many other sports, plus a kids club and kids activities.
The luxe option here is the bungalows, where you’ll be treated like a VIP. Just let your butler know what you’d like to eat and drink at your next meal, and it will be brought right to you. Choose to dine on your terrace overlooking the sea or in the dining area of your massive bungalow. Your butler will subtlely check in on you several times a day to make sure your every need is addressed.
The bungalows are in their own area near the edge of the property, offering more privacy from the somewhat crowded rest of the resort. Each bungalow is a large room with separate areas for your king size bed, for dining, and for relaxing on your couch beside the wood-burning fireplace. There’s a small desk, fridge, and amenities including a music player, large TV and a Nespresso machine. The bathroom has one of the biggest bathtubs I’ve ever seen.
The shaded and curtained terrace has a dining table and two chaise longues which you can move into the sun, as well as a hammock built for two. Big windows let you admire the sea view from everywhere.
An even more exclusive choice — villas — is coming in 2016. Sister resorts nearby (all have Azur in their name) are another luxe option.
There are times in your life when you want a holiday when the most difficult thing to decide is what to have for dinner. Les Orangers delivers.
From US$500 all inclusive
– Extremely helpful front desk staff.
– Soft white sand beach with beautiful views.
– All-inclusive makes everything easy so you can focus on enjoying your holiday.
– Stick to the in-room dining or speciality restaurants rather than the buffet restaurant.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
I stepped into the pool just after the sun set, at the beginning of blue hour. With each lap I watched the sky slowly darken to match the colour of the sea. I was surrounded by beautiful blues — the greenish blue of the pool, the sapphire sky and the azure of the sea. The bright white columns reflected the shimmering water. This might be the most beautiful swim I’ve ever had. It was only when the stars and bright moon popped out of the now black sky that I thought it might be time to go to bed.
There are three spectacular pools at the 5-star La Badira, the indoor-outdoor one near the spa, where I had my evening swim; an outdoor one near the restaurant; and another with views of the sea in two directions (the hotel is on a point, meaning that every room has a sea view, and security is tighter given the limited access).
La Badira is a member of Leading Hotels of the World, and its name means “luminous as the full moon”. The hotel is brand new, and was still adding the finishing touches during my stay in April 2015. Some procedures were not yet perfected, but they should be up to 5-star level at time of writing.
There’s a choice of three types of rooms. Beautifully similar are the all-white regular rooms (called Fell and Yasmine suites, $240), with stunning views from both bed and balcony, some with bathtub and some without. There are also a variety of larger suites. Noor suites ($365) are on the top floor with two private jacuzzis (one outdoors across the hall), and, showing high design originality, there are six Legend suites with a fireplace and private pool ($530). Each of these Legend suites is designed after the style of a famous Hammamet visitor from the early 20th century, when this beach town was famous in the art world for the quality of its light. Fancy a stay in the Wallace Simpson or August Macke room? They’re waiting for you.
I was treated to a hammam in the beautiful spa. While the temperature was not quite high enough during my treatment, I felt relaxed and shiny new afterward. The large spa features Thémaé products from Paris, and you can gaze out at the sea while you sip your post-treatment tea. There’s also a gym and conference rooms on site.
The breakfast is a buffet, with eggs made to order, and more pastries than you could ever hope to sample. You can eat indoors or outdoors. There are three other restauarants, led by French chef Sébastien Bontour and executive chef Slim Bettaieb. If you’d like to dine elsewhere, note that the hotel is a short drive or long walk outside of the town of Hammamet.
From US$240
– Because of the resort’s location on a point between two bays, all rooms have a sea view.
– Spectacular pools.
– Beautiful hotel, designed to intrigue and relax you (though I would have preferred a door on the closet, and all rooms should have a Nespresso machine, not just the suites).
– Staff use walkie-talkies to communicate, which interrupts the beautiful sound of waves rolling on the beach.
– Indoor pool closes at 8:00 pm, and you’ll need to dress afterward, as you’re not permitted to wear the spa robe back to your room.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor