USVI-On-Line

We stayed in a rental house on Block Island in 1996 that was perfect.

It was one of the original island homes and beautifully restored. The house sat on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

Everything about it was perfect, like opening up a design/lifestyle magazine and stepping inside.

Really great bedding, nice mix of antique and new furniture, a row of Adirondack chairs in the yard facing the ocean.

We could tell the owners either really loved the place or (maybe and) had the money to keep the house perfect.

This is a great thread!

BnB on the north shore of Oahu-Santa's by the Sea. Not sure if it's still in business, the owners were moving to Molokai to "get away from the crowds" if I remember correctly. Location was everything at this place- it was right on the beach and the owners were wonderful. Nothing fancy at all about it, very simple, but just a great spot. Plus we were there when they were surfing the pipeline and competition was w/i walking distance which was fun!

Pia wrote:... free standing cabin that when you were laying in bed had a skylight directly above the bed with a view of the towering redwood tree above - spectacular Pia

Pia- Thanks for that "moment"...I am a huge fan of skylights....have installed them in all four homes I have owned! I started by installing a plastic skylight myself in my first house....again did it myself in my second house (but moved up to Velux glass)...then next house we bought a HUGE Velux motorized skylight with a remote control...now that was cool...press a button and it opens on a cool day....anyway I love skylights and just envisioned the towering trees out of a skylight when I read your post...cool...

I think I'm just a tad claustrophobic....won't buy a car without a skylight (sunroof) either...

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In a tent almost on the artic circle with the northern lights so bright that you could almost touch them.

We're more backpack-style travelers. As Loria described it--more about the location than the accomodations. Some of my favorite places didn't offer anything but the most basic accomodations. Before I met my wife and she settled me down a bit, I did a good bit of pretty adventurous traveling. There were special favorites. A hut on Ko Samet, an island in the Gulf of Thailand. A few different lodges in Solu Khumbu in the Himalayas in Nepal. A guest house in Kathmandu. A hut in a family compound in northern Ghana. I have boxes of slides that I took along the way and someday maybe will look into what's involved in digitalizing them.

A favorite of our travels together was a cabin on the north shore of Kauai. Here's a shot:

It was far from luxurious but it was absolutely perfect.

I'm with Lex - location, location, location.
Just like at the villas in STJ, nothing beats great views at dawn with a cup of coffee or sunset with a glass of wine out on a balcony.
Or, in a city, watching the streets and cafes come alive.

We really enjoyed the places we stayed at in Switzerland.

Hotel Des Alpes in Lucerne pictured here near the middle
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/49 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RopMU ... 0.jpg"></a>

had this view
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IW ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RopMX ... 1.jpg"></a>

Alpenrose in Wengen pictured here
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oj ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/Rzsoe ... 4.JPG"></a>

had this view with sounds of cowbells from the fields just below...
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ra ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RopN- ... 6.JPG"></a>

Hotel Eden Palace in Montreux
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/me ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RnfTd ... 1.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fv ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RnfUk ... 1.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/b5 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8poT_jdtsYw/RopL2 ... 1.JPG"></a>

Honeymooned at Turtleback Farm Inn on Orcas Island (WA State). The best breakfast I've ever had at a B&B. The scenery was awesome, a orca-watching day trip, we spotted a farmer that was raking the hay in his pasture into rows and there were at least 20 or 30 bald eagles snatching the field mice as they ran!

Two places in Hawaii: Princeville Resort on Kauai, and much less palatial but probably more 'fun' was a condo at 'The Whaler' on kaanapali Beach, Maui. I splurged on ocean-front, and this was our view:




oh, and not a place to stay, but if you've never been to Pearl Harbor and seen the USS Arizona:


Another awesome place was a cabin on the outskirts of Estes Park, Co that we rented with family (8 of us). Views to die for, and really quiet and isolated.

Hands down our honeymoon in Negril at the Rockhouse. Just a beautiful tiny place with small individual huts out over the cliffs. Very romantic and peaceful with outstanding 180 degree water views with no obstructions. Great staff. Amazing!!!!

I didn't have a digital camera back in the day but here's a shot from their site http://www.rockhousehotel.com/hotel/

KTinTX wrote:Honeymooned at Turtleback Farm Inn on Orcas Island (WA State). The best breakfast I've ever had at a B&B. The scenery was awesome, a orca-watching day trip, we spotted a farmer that was raking the hay in his pasture into rows and there were at least 20 or 30 bald eagles snatching the field mice as they ran!

Always wanted to go back to the San Juan Islands. Thats a special place.