ToniD
Toni Lanotte-Day Joined: November 22nd 2006
Logged in: February 12th 2012
Logged in: February 12th 2012
I escort a lot of groups known as Adventures With Toni Tours, in addition to my personal travel. My blogs cover both types. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures, as much as I enjoy sharing them.
Travel Blog Posts
Hotel Front Entrance
One of the best kept secrets in New England is the Equinox Resort and Spa located in Manchester Village in Southern Vermont.<span> The resort has a long history dating back to 1769.<span> The original building on site was the Marsh Tavern which is still part of the existing building complex.<span> The Council of Safety headed up by Ethan Allen’s brother met here to raise money for the “Green Mountain Boys” during the American Revolution.<span> It has also hosted four presidents and Mary Todd Lincoln as some of its prestigious guests. The property has changed hands several times over the last two hundred plus years and is now part of the illustrious Starwood Luxury Collection managed by HEI Properties.<span> A major renovation of the property was just completed in November 2011 and the results are spectacular. I ... read more
City View from Panorama Punkt
Our trip started with a Lufthansa flight on the new A380 airbus from JFK to Frankfurt. It was operated with German efficiency and was an enjoyable and comfortable 6 hr. 30 min. flight. We disembarked quickly and excellent signage led us through the airport on foot through immigration and on to our connecting flight to Berlin. We were greeted with complimentary coffee, latte or cappuccino at the gate while waiting to board our flight. The A300 Airbus was also brand new and whisked us to Berlin in 50 minutes flying time. Berlin TXL airport was one of the most user friendly airports I have ever been to. The plane disembarks directly into the baggage claim area for your flight and the luggage was quickly dispatched within 5 minutes of landing. We exited into the arrivals area ... read more
Parthenon
May 3, 2011 All packed and ready to go. 7 interchangeable outfits in 2 space bags: check 2 dresses in 1 small space bag: check Toiletry kit: check 1 bathing suit and 2 beach wraps that can double as shawls: check 3 pairs of shoes: check 1 Bag weighing less than 40 lbs. for a 21 day trip: Priceless ! Flying to Athens today for 2-days and then sailing on board Azamara Quest to Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Cyprus, Ephesus in Turkey, Ashdod and Haifa in Israel. A 6-day trip in Israel with visits to Jerusalem, Galilee, Tiberius and Tel Aviv before heading home. Please join me via daily posts as I visit sites from ancient civilizations and sample the food, beer and wine from these fabulous Mediterranean destinations. Our Delta flight was quite comfortable. Each seat ... read more
Beach Bar
If you want designer martinis and pool butlers, Verandah Resort is not for you. But, if you want a true tropical oasis that blends into the natural landscape, is laid back and offers suites with views of the turquoise sea, then look no further. Verandah Resort and spa meets that criteria and provides a friendly, dedicated staff to meet your needs. The resort is managed under the watchful eye of Ms. Jenny Liu who is very visible around the resort. The resort is located in Long Bay and is an approximate 30 minute taxi ride from the airport in St. John’s. A private taxi is about $38.00 or $7.00 per person in a collective taxi. The reception area is in a simple building separate from the rest of the resort. The desk is operational 24 hrs. ... read more
Amadagio River Cruise Ship
We boarded our river cruise ship Amadagio on April 9th for a 7 night voyage from Budapest, Hungary to Rousse, Bulgaria. Our voyage will travel southeast down the Danube River through the former Yugoslavian Republic countries of Croatia and Serbia and the former Soviet Block countries of Bulgaria and Romania. While we don’t actually sail into the Black Sea, we will get fairly close to the juncture. We were warmly greeted by several staff members in the airy lobby and escorted to our cabins. We were assigned to a 170 square foot Category B cabin 225 on the Cello Deck with French Balcony. The cabins are compact, but make efficient use of the space. The floor to ceiling glass doors made the room feel open and airy. There is a small wardrobe closet with digital safe ... read more
Group Photo
We flew Turkish Airlines economy class to Istanbul from JFK and really enjoyed their modern 777 with comfortable seating, constant service with delicious Turkish style meals and drinks and the personal DVD player at each seat with a choice of several movies, TV shows, video games and music channels. The only thing missing, were foot rests. We wished we had chosen the upgrade to business class, where each seat is set in its own little pod area with comfortable reclining and massaging seats. I never felt bored or confined on the flight in my aisle seat with plenty of entertainment options and an easy 5 hour nap. We chose Turkish Airlines, because our trip route will take us from Budapest, Hungary to Kusadasi, Turkey and Turkish Airlines provided convenient connections for both cities via Istanbul. Clearing ... read more
Morning Beach Walk
One of the testimonials posted on Trip Advisor about Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa says “It’s not the smartest sweater in your wardrobe, but the one you love to wear”. This describes the resort to a T. Your first contact with the resort is when you are greeted by a friendly representative as soon as you exit customs at Hewanorra Airport. They introduce you to your taxi driver who whisks you to the resort in 5 minutes. A smiling group of bell hops unload your luggage while you check-in with a cold glass of champagne in hand. We were escorted to our room on the “Splash” side of the resort dedicated to families. It was just my husband and I and I was hoping for the “Harmony” side dedicated to adults only. But the receptionist ... read more
Norwegian Jewel
Dover - Day 1 and Day 2 We arrived at London-Heathrow after a non-eventful flight from JFK and breezed through immigration and customs. We found our private driver waiting for us in the arrivals area and set off for the drive to Dover. We made the trip in 75 minutes because there was little to no traffic on a Saturday morning. This same trip can take 2 to 3 hours on a weekday morning with rush hour traffic. We arrived at the Best Western Churchill hotel located on the waterfront in Dover. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so we didn’t mind when the front desk staff informed us that our rooms wouldn’t be ready until 3 PM. We armed ourselves with a town map and set off towards the town center for a walking tour ... read more
Icefields Parkway
I was invited to participate on a travel agent Mountain Madness Fam with Anderson Vacations. The following is a review of the whirlwind tour we took to see and do as much as possible in 5 days. This trip would normally be conducted over 7 to 10 days, in order to fully appreciate each location. I flew Northwest Airlines from JFK via Minneapolis into Calgary. The trip including layover was about 7 ½ hours. Calgary is a moderate size airport with good eating, shopping and free wi-fi. Immigration and customs were quick (less than 10 minutes), but I heard from other travelers that it can be a bear when several flights arrive at the same time. While I was waiting for my group transfer, I made a quick visit to the Tim Horton’s for one of ... read more
April 15th 2009
Joe the Chef
It was a family trip to watch my nephew play in a regional baseball tournament. We drove from Denver and made a stop in Santa Fe for a delicious lunch in the old town center at the Anasazi Restaurant at the Anasazi Inn. I had a delious sesame crusted salmon entree served perfectly rare. The rest of the family ordered other items such as the Buffalo Burger, Beef Fajitas, Ahi Tuna Tostada and the chicken enchilada. All of the entrees scored an A+ for presentation and food quality. The service was also great. While lunch was a bit on the pricey side ($10 to $15 per entree), we felt it was good value for the money. We walked off lunch around the old town center and made a bee line for Ecco gelato. Some of the ... read more
