Relaxation at its Best!

Costa Rica is known for its ecotourism and nature adventures. Since I am more of a spa and sit by the pool type of girl, I was hoping to see another side of this beautiful country during my visit. I chose the Pacific Coast because I heard about the small beach communities and yoga properties throughout the Guanacaste Province. I ended up choosing a small boutique hotel called the Harmony Hotel.

The property is set within the natural landscape of Nosara, a small beach community a few hours drive from the Liberia Airport. It is the perfect escape from the daily grind of city life. The hotel focuses on sustainable tourism and environmental practices and works to make guests more aware of the environmental impacts of travel. They offer a daily sustainability tour where guests can see the inner workings of the property to support their environmental initiatives. They recycle, have a salt water pool rather than chlorine, and use organic products and food throughout the property. If that wasn’t enough, they also sponsor beach clean-ups and allow guests to off-set their stay by donating to a tree planting organization.

But this doesn’t even begin to cover the stay at the property. I had one of the most restful nights in months my first night at the hotel. The bed linens are super comfy and even though there is no television, the bed instantly makes you relax and fall asleep. It is also the perfect place to catch up on your “me” time with a good book on your own personal patio. Rest on the hammock and read that latest novel you never have the time to read.

Still not relaxed? Why not get a massage at the Healing Centre. Once again the property provides the best in services. Using natural products the masseuse will work away every tension imaginable with their signature spa. Once it is over you should be ready to take on the rest of the vacation. The Healing Centre is also the place to get centered with daily yoga. It is also a great place to interact with members of the Nosara community. Harmony Hotel offers the only spanish language yoga in the city, allowing locals and guests to interact.

Of course you must be hungry by now. The restaurant on the property will keep you well fed and truly satisfied all day long. From the juice bar with its cold food and natural smoothies and juices, to the fish dishes, sandwiches and breakfast items in the main restaurant. Even dessert provides mouth watering choices. There is a bar on the property so you can also mix the wonderful drinks with the cocktail of your choice. The Tamarind Fizz, a mix of ginger, lime, sugar and tamarind was a staple throughout my entire stay. With the open lobby area and free wi-fi you also can enjoy the refreshing juice drink while chatting and emailing your very jealous friends back home.

For a day at the beach it is just a short walk steps from the hotel. With beautiful sunshine this beach is a great place for surfing and sunning. Another way to relax in this beautiful area.

Needless to say I ended my few days at this lovely hotel rejuvenated and very relaxed. Sad to go home I was energized from my time to face my life back home. But I will definitely return to this oasis of tranquility near the sea.

Harmony Hotel
www.harmonynosara.com

Music City Here We Come!!!

Nashville is by far one of our favorite places for a girlfriend getaway.  It doesn’t matter if you have just one night to spend there or if you have several nights.  It only matters on how badly you want to be there.  We have driven up from Atlanta just to see one concert then driven home the very next day.  It’s all about time management skills.

This time we found ourselves heading to Nashville with only one night to spare.  Since this was a spur of the moment decision we left without making reservations.  Not to worry, we just checked Priceline and scored a great deal at the Maxwell Millennium.  They even offered complimentary shuttle service to the downtown area.  This is a big plus since parking is so hard to find and usually a bit pricy.  When searching for a hotel you should pick one that is close enough to walk to downtown, such as the Hilton or Hampton Inn and Suites which is one of our favorites, or one that has complimentary shuttle service.

We started our day lying lazily by the pool, which was very nice.  This was a great time to rest up before a fun filled night.  We had dinner at San Antonio Taco Company; it is one of Scarlet’s favorite restaurants.  It offered outside seating and music in the Vanderbilt area, a perfect combination for us. Read more

KY Bourbon Trail

We know going on the Kentucky bourbon trail is not your typical girl’s getaway, but we however are not your typical girls.  We thought the experience of waking up in a different city each day would be an adventure and we were not disappointed.

Our tour started out heading toward Nashville from Atlanta, our first stop on the trail was Four Roses Distillery, Wild Turkey Distillery, and Woodford Reserve Distillery. Yes, my friends we hit 3 distilleries in one day.  At these distilleries you get to take an up-close and personal tour of how bourbon is made.  Each tour last anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour and at the end of the tour you get to head to the tasting room where you will sample some of their best bourbons. Even if you don’t drink bourbon like us you will find the sampling to be the best part of the tour. Read more

Wicked Winery

Wicked Winery…. and we mean that in a good way!

Scarlet was invited by friends to a remote cabin in Tennessee. As you know we never pass by on an opportunity to travel. Along the way we stopped by Amber Falls Winery and Cellars in Hampshire, Tennessee. When you arrive at the winery it seems like a small out of the way place and this winery was fabulous. We arrived to find classic charm and fine wine.

The outside setting has a covered gazebo filled with lights and a local quartet playing. After meeting up with friends we ventured down to the eccentric tasting room which is located in the cellar. This is where we were met by Gabe, Seth, and Kathy. These three made the experience even more exceptional. The wine choices consist of dry wines all the way to sweet wines. This was great because Jen only likes sweet wine while Scarlet prefers the red ones. Our favorite wines that night were the Cabernet Persuasion, Cranberry Caress, and Peach Persuasion. We just love the names of these wines. The best part is they will ship anywhere!! Read more

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