Luxury Latin America Blog

Buenos Aires Travel for Romantics: Stay, Eat, and Explore

Timothy — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 17:39:02 +0000

Looking for a romantic vacation for two someone memorable? While you could take that special someone to Paris and spend a few months' salary in the process, Argentina is one of the world's best values now and you can do it all there without worrying about the tab. Buenos Aires travel offers romantics the chance to do it all. You still get great restaurants to choose from, historic gravitas, and a wide range of activities to choose from, in a city that's not as jammed up with other tourists as its famous European counterparts. You can order bottles of wine and the world's best beef in a restaurant that didn't require booking months ahead and your hotel room rate will be in three figures, not four. You can hire a private car and driver to pick you up at the airport and take you where you want to go in the city. Buenos Aires beckons couples with its passionate spirit and romantic allure. The city's mix of European charm and Latin flair creates a perfect backdrop for love. Stroll hand-in-hand through colorful streets, share intimate tango lessons, or enjoy candlelit dinners in cozy restaurants. So order a flower bouquet nearby to arrive in your hotel room when you land and then follow our advice below to experience Buenos Aires for romantics.

Choose a Luxury Hotel for Romantics in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires offers dreamy accommodations for couples seeking a romantic getaway. You'll find intimate boutique hotels and opulent luxury properties to set the mood for your amorous adventure. We have detailed reviews of the best Buenos Aires luxury hotels on our site, but here are a few favorites to suit different styles.

Alvear Palace

For old-world romance, the Alvear Palace Hotel can't be beat. This grand dame of Buenos Aires hotels oozes luxury and sophistication. You'll feel like royalty in the ornate rooms with chandeliers and marble bathrooms. Take it slow and enjoy traditional afternoon tea in the L'Orangerie restaurant. The rooftop bar here offers amazing city views. It's a magical spot for an evening cocktail with your sweetheart.

MIO Buenos Aires

If you're young and in love, MIO Buenos Aires has big rooms where the centerpiece is a big carved wood bathtub a few steps from the bed. This romantic boutique hotel is in a prime location too, in Recoleta near the main attractions and plenty of restaurants to choose from. It also has a library you can enjoy for a quiet break and there's a spa on site for getting relaxed with a massage. There are only 30 rooms here, so there's plenty of personal attention.

CasaSur Palermo

This contemporary 60-room hotel is a good match if you love modern design and want to be in the heart of a trendy neighborhood. CasaSur Palermo is in the Palermo Viejo area, walking distance to hot bars and restaurants. There are plenty of nice spots to cozy up together in the hotel, including lounge chairs beside the swimming pool and a great roof terrace where you can watch the twinkling lights of the city.

Faena Hotel + Universe

This hotel has been the rock star choice for two decades now, where the cool kids hang out and take selfies by the swimming pool. It's a Philippe Starck design hotel where every detail is designed to inspire or delight and if you care more about artistic hotel design than being in a historic neighborhood, Faena Hotel + Universe is a good romantic lodging option. One plus here: they host the long-running Rojo Tango show in their own theater, so you don't have to head across town for that entertainment.

Stroll the Streets of Recoleta and Palermo

Get your bearings on your Buenos Aires travel jaunt by starting out at the Casa Rosada, Argentina's pink presidential palace in Plaza de Mayo. Its balcony is where Eva Perón famously addressed her adoring fans. Continue the Eva theme at Recoleta Cemetery where she rests. The ornate mausoleums and sculptures make it feel like an outdoor museum. Then take a lighter turn by strolling the streets of the city's most upscale neighborhood. Join the locals for a coffee, a cocktail, or a glass of wine after exploring the interesting tree-lined streets with historic apartment buildings and mansions. For a funkier vibe, mix it up with a more artistic crowd in the various sections of Palermo. Palermo is where you'll find trendy shops and beautiful green spaces. The neighborhood is split into smaller areas, each with its own charm. Palermo Soho is perfect for boutique shopping and hip cafes. You can spend hours browsing unique clothing stores and art galleries. For a peaceful break, head to the Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods). This large park offers rose gardens, lakes, and quiet paths for a romantic walk. You can rent a pedal boat or rowboat to cruise around the lake. Pack a picnic and find a cozy spot on the grass to enjoy each other's company. The Botanical Gardens offer some nice green spaces to explore and a sculpture garden. Or you can visit the Rosedal, a beautiful garden with over 18,000 roses. It's lovely in spring and summer when the flowers are in full bloom. Take a walk hand-in-hand through the winding paths and breathe in the sweet scent. If antiques and history are more your thing, spend some time in the San Telmo neighborhood. You'll find all sorts of treasures here, from vintage jewelry to old maps. Street performers—including tango dancers—add to the lively atmosphere. On Sundays, the famous antique market fills Plaza Dorrego and nearby streets. If the timing is right on your Buenos Aires travel dates, get show tickets for whatever is playing at historic Teatro Colon. The setting will be spectacular and romantic no matter what the event is.

Tango and Wine Bars

Tango is the heart of Buenos Aires' romantic spirit. You can watch professional dancers at milongas, traditional tango halls. Or you can go to a tango show that's flashy, traditional, or contemporary. These shows will take your breath away with their passion and skill and some include dinner or drinks. For a more hands-on experience, try a tango class with your partner. Many studios offer lessons for beginners. You'll learn basic steps and feel the music's rhythm together. It's a fun way to bond and create lasting memories. Dress up for the occasion and make it even more romantic. Café culture is big in Buenos Aires and this is a city where the wine is always flowing. You and your partner can enjoy a cozy table for two at historic spots like Café Tortoni. It's been around since 1858 and has a charming old-world feel. For wine lovers, Buenos Aires is paradise. You can try local wines like Malbec and Torrontes at cozy wine bars. Many places offer guided wine tasting sessions where you can learn about Argentine wines. It's a great way to spend an evening together.

Romantic Dining in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires offers a delicious mix of traditional Argentine flavors and modern culinary flair. You'll find mouthwatering steaks, cozy parrillas, and gourmet restaurants perfect for romantic dinners. Argentine beef is world-famous, and you'll see why at Buenos Aires' parrillas (steakhouses). Don't miss the chance to try asado, a traditional barbecue that's more of a social event that requires pacing, with empanadas and sausages in the mix. The most famous places for steak and wine are Don Julio and Cabana Las Lilas, though the locals you ask will all quickly list off several places they think are better. With the Argentine aged beef quality being at such a high level throughout, you might be better off finding your own quiet place that's not such a hassle to get into. (Don Julio doesn't take reservations, so there's always a line outside.) If you don't mind booking ahead, Buenos Aires always has a good showing on the lists of the best restaurants in Latin America. Here's who made the top 50 in the latest results besides the steakhouse with a line mentioned above that came out on top: Mishiguene El Baqueno Aramburu Elena La Cabrera Gran Dabbang Oviedo Getting around Buenos Aires is easy and affordable. Rideshare apps like Uber are widely available and convenient for door-to-door service. Taxis are also common and can be hailed on the street or at designated stands. For a special night out, consider booking a private car service to arrive in style. You can also arrange an airport pickup with Blacklane like we did on our romantic stay in Buenos Aires, kicking things off right from the moment we stepped out of baggage claim. Then if you want to get out of the city for a while, see our article on great day trips from Buenos Aires. All photos by editor Timothy Scott except top photo by Marcus Mayer of Unsplash.

The Best Luxury Hotels in Cartagena

Timothy — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:54:39 +0000

Where should you go in Colombia if you want to get pampered and sleep in a high-end property? That's an easy choice: you want to experience the luxury hotels in Cartagena. I have been to this beautiful walled city (the historic part anyway) several times, plus we've had more visits from some of our contributors over the years. I've stayed in the historic center and on the outskirts and also cruised out to the blue water around the Rosario Islands. I'm sure I'll be back for a vacation too as flights to Cartagena are often a great deal. Colombia is a fast-emerging tourism destination that gets more popular every year. It's a great value for those coming in with dollars or euros and the word-of-mouth buzz has translated into more media coverage in the glossy travel magazines. While there are a few luxury hotels in the main cities and the Coffee Triangle, the biggest concentration of them are in Cartagena, the real jewel for upscale travelers. Since it's easy to get there from the U.S. and Canada and the city is studded with good shops and restaurants in a walkable area, Cartagena is sort of a self-feeding ecosystem for luxury tourists. Casa Pestagua This converted three-story mansion has 11 guest room set around a double interior courtyard and lush garden with a reflecting fountain, al fresco restaurant, sitting areas, an outdoor bar, small spa, and a large swimming pool shaded by massive trees. Since opening in 2007, the spacious, serene, and romantic Casa Pestagua has established itself as a classic in the historic center of Cartagena. In 2016 Casa Pestagua received the Relais & Chateaux certification. Casa San Agustin Located a few blocks from the 16th-century Spanish Colonial fortress wall and the water beyond, Casa San Agustin is in the thick of historic buildings and enticing cafes. It combined three adjacent houses and has remnants of an original aqueduct that ran over the top. Two courtyards are in the spaces in between the original homes, one containing a swimming pool, the other outdoor dining space for the restaurant and bar. On the rooftop is a solarium with a view, comfy lounge chairs at the ready for catching some rays, showers nearby for cooling off again. Charleston Santa Teresa Hotel The Charleston Santa Teresa Hotel is in the historic center, combining a historic building with 12 rooms and a much larger newer building with larger rooms. At the top is the swimming pool pictured above, with terrific views of the city, the walls, and the sea. The Karibana Beach and Golf Resort This is the biggest luxury resort in Cartagena, located well outside of the center but next to the water and with a full golf course. The Karibana Resort first opened as a Conrad by Hilton and was built to those standards before later transitioning to different management. Click the link to see the full review. Hotel Boutique Ananda This beautiful boutique hotel in the historic center has plenty of history, but has well-designed rooms with modern amenities, a nice courtyard restaurants, and a roof deck with views. The 24 suites and some of the public areas have decorations from around the world, giving it a cosmopolitan air. There's a second pool in one of the courtyards, so it's easy to find a nice place to lounge at Hotel Boutique Ananda. Hotel Sofitel Santa Clara If you want to stay at the prestige address in Cartagena, that would be the Hotel Sofitel Santa Clara, a "Legend" property in the collection, the highest available in the French Accor chain. This is a full-service luxury Cartagena hotel in a prized location in the historic center, with a highly regarded restaurant and a full spa. the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara offers the sense of place and history of many local boutique hotels, but with more facilities and smooth service from a large, well-trained staff. Intercontinental Cartagena If you want to earn or use some IHG Points, the Intercontinental Cartagena is a modern high-rise in a beach area, but not far from the center. Here you'll get international business-standard rooms with plenty of amenities and charging outlets, along with a well-trained staff. It has a large infinity swimming pool facing the beach that's long enough for laps. La Pasion by Masaya Hotel This seven-unit hotel is small enough to feature every room on its website. La Pasion by Masaya is walking distance from the sophisticated restaurants and bars of the Barrio San Diego and located very close to the inquisition Museum, the Plaza Santa Domingo, and chic boutiques. Since it's adult-only, you're assured of calm and privacy as a couple. Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton This hotel originally opened as Tcherassi Hotel + Spa, named after and founded by a well-known fashion designer. She eventually sold to another owner and two properties got combined into Nacar Hotel Cartagena, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel. It kept many of its original design touches, but added a more internationally trained staff to the management mix that's ready to cater to foreign luxury visitors. Having coral reefs and tropical islands a short boat ride away from a colonial city with stout fortification walls is another plus when you stay at one of the luxury hotels in Cartagena. You can go snorkeling and beach bumming by day, bar hopping and wall strolling at night. There are great outdoor cafes with a view of postcard-perfect buildings lit up at night and you can ride a horse-drawn carriage down the narrow streets of centuries ago.

Most of the million–plus people who call the city home live far beyond the walls. So while there may seem to be as many tourists as locals in the heart of the old city, even on cruise ship days the foreign invaders don't dominate the total. The beach resorts fanning out in both directions from the city walls have as many domestic tourists as foreign ones, with a good portion of those foreigners being from Latin American countries. A sun and fun vacation here has a far different feel than one in Cancun or Ambergris Caye.

See our full tour feature on the area here: Magical Cartagena and the Rosario Islands of Colombia.

A Premium Tequila Tasting at St. Regis Punta Mita Resort

Timothy — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:48:42 +0000

We run a lot of spirits reviews on this luxury travel blog, but we're not in the habit of going out and spending $100, $200, or more on a bottle of premium tequila. So when we were staying at the St. Regis Punta Mita recently and got the chance to do a premium tequila tasting with an experienced Mexican bartender and a tequila expert, I jumped on it and made sure to take lots of notes. We've posted a new review of the St. Regis Punta Mita and the place is looking great after a recent $45 million renovation. Part of that went into revamping the lobby and going from traditional to more contemporary in the look and feel. At the end of the lobby is a great bar with 117 varieties of 100% blue agave tequila bottles. We really went top-shelf with this tasting though, trying things that are usually not going to show up at the swim-up bar at an all-inclusive resort. Some of them you can't even find in a store.

A Premium Tequila Tasting Flight Round 1: Silver and Reposado

For these tequila tastings, I got a pour in an ideal glass for tasting tequila and there was some kind of small bite plate accompanying it that the planners paired. This also served to cleanse the palate between bottles. As usual with tequila tastings, we started with the youngest and moved to the one with the most time in the barrel. We tasted a silver/white tequila with no aging then moved on to reposado, joven (a blend), añejo, and extra añejo.

Santarena Organic Silver

We started out with something where the agave shines through, with no time aging in a barrel. Santarena Silver tequila is one of the few that is certified organic, though in reality there's not much fertilizer or pesticides in the mix with most tequila brands anyway: agave is a much heartier plant than corn, grapes, or potatoes. That's why you see it growing wild, not just cultivated in farmers' fields. Santarena is also more like a winemaker instead of just a distiller, creating batches of tequila made from single agave fields, no mixing and matching from different areas. They're also a low-volume producer as a result. The biggest rounds they produce are just 6,000 bottles, while some are less than 2,000. So if you have a chance to try this, it's a rare treat. Our sampling was from the Piedra batch of 2020, number 254 of 2,066. They also make a kosher version! This was a very smooth silver tequila that goes down easy, but has plenty of subtle flavor hints that shine through. It also came with a lovely ceviche tostada that looked as pretty as it tasted. We were off to a good start with Santarena tequila, a new one for me. See more about them here.

Casa Dragones Reposado

We've posted a review of Casa Dragones Joven in the past and I should be a big fan of this brand since they're based right down the road from me in San Miguel de Allende. I've had trouble getting past the price-to-payoff ratio though as I've found others I like better at half the price and the bottle isn't all that impressive. I was pleased with this Casa Dragones reposado though, aged in Japanese oak barrels instead of the usual American or French. That gives it a bit different nose and finish than the usual. It probably didn't hurt that it was paired with a delicious lobster croquette with chipotle sauce, a mouth-watering combination. I'm still not ready to go plop down three figures for it, but I really enjoyed trying another one from their stable at this tequila tasting.

Clase Azul Tequila Gold (Joven)

If you stay in a luxury resort in Mexico anywhere, you're bound to see Clase Azul bottles on display in prominent positions in the bar areas and restaurants. The reason is, they're some of the prettiest bottles around, including the ubiquitous white and blue hand-painted porcelain bottles they sell the most of with their reposado version inside. You can see our review of it at that link. I had never tried this Gold version though and it is something you don't see so often in the tequila world: a "joven" blend of three different aging levels. Let's take it from the source on this one:

This joven tequila combines Clase Azul Tequila Plata, a special reposado tequila matured in French oak casks and an extra añejo finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.

That's a lot going on in this gold and black bottle, which is meant to evoke a Mexican sunset. My tasting guide Felipe explained that everything you see on a Clase Azul bottle has some kind of symbolism involved. I also learned something new: the stopper at the top is a bell, meant to be dinged when it's time to start pouring. This blend was more cohesive than I expected. Rather that creating a clash, the various tasting elements played well off each other and the whole really was better than its individual parts. One criticism I've heard of their reposado version is that it's too sweet, better for dessert than for casual sipping. This blend tones that down a little and the anejo adds more heft. It was especially good with the fish taco that magically appeared, with avocado and pico de gallo.

Tasting Round 2: Premium Anejo

When you start getting into the tequila brands you see going for $150, $300, or more at duty free, those are usually going to be anejo or extra anejo ones that have spent at least a year aging, plus they're in some kind of special bottle that's going to look impressive as a gift. Often you're paying for the packaging as much as what's inside, but the best ones live up to the first impression. In general, añejo tequila must be aged more than one year (the maximum for a reposado) and a maximum of three, in barrels that hold 600 liters max. (So no giant wooden barrels like you sometimes see used for wine or cider.) The ones tagged as extra añejo must spend at least three years in the barrel. You should try one of these if you're a fan of aged rum, Scotch, bourbon, or cognac. There's not really a maximum, but in Mexico's climate, once you get past five years it starts to become counter-productive. The barrel flavors overpower the spirit. Here's what we tried from the older brands.

Maestro Dobel Atelier

We've written about Maestro Dobel before and while they are best known for kicking off the Cristalino gimmick of bleaching out aged tequila making it look clear, we do like their reposado and añejo versions that we've tried. This is a Cuervo brand, but as with Reserva de la Familia, there's an element of collectability with this Maestro Dobel Atelier release. "This one is meant to honor the charros," said my bartender Hugo as he poured, the Mexican cowboys you see competing in rodeo-like competitions all over Mexico. It comes in a pretty hand-painted bottle that really stands out from the crowd on the shelf. There are five different versions each year, all around a different theme. (The 2023 version honors the boats used in Xochimilco, outside of Mexico City. The 2021 bottles were inspired by piñatas.) This spirit retails for $199, so I was expecting big things, and it did taste more expensive and complex than your usual aged tequila. It was a bit spicier than the norm and the character really changed as it moved across the tongue, with a nice lingering sweetness at the end that paired well with the fried shrimp it came with. It comes in a nice gift box if you're buying it at retail.

Gran Centenario Gallardo

If you see this one in a bar and you're ready to throw down some cash to celebrate, you may not want to hesitate. If you go to the web page for this particular premium tequila, there's a sign-up for to get on a notification list for when it becomes available again. When they say "limited edition," they mean it. A 2024 article I found online said, "There are only 679 bottles currently available to retailers in the U.S." So this was a real treat during our premium tequila tasting and it really elevated the whole expeirence. It got to try something I'm not very likely to run across again -- or pay for since it's $600 for a bottle. What a fine bottle it is though, especially if you're a fan of Art Deco style. It definitely stands out as a departure from the norm. See pics and more about it here. Gran Centenario is part of the Centenario Tequila collection, which is the opposite of rare at the low end. We've reviewed it before because it's one of the easiest brands to find in Mexico, maybe the best seller in that country among the 100% blue agave options, depending on whose press release you believe. The brand is part of the portfolio of the world's largest producer, just like the one above, the house of Cuervo. As we've said many times before, don't judge Jose Cuervo by its namesake mixto headache producer that is not 100% agave. The brands they make that are pure agave, which is most of them, are quite good. This Gallardo tequila is one of the best ones I've tasted all year, so I'm glad they saved it for last. I kind of cringed a little when Felipe poured it over a big dense ice cube since we're so conditioned to think that a premium dark spirit should be sipped neat. "It's really hot in this open-air lobby in the afternoon," Felipe said, "so it's refreshing to have this on ice instead with your dessert. Trust me, you'll like it." He was right: it tasted downright perfect this way. The extra añejo tequila, a blend of barrels aged for three to five years, really benefitted from the ice taking a little of the oak edge off along with the pairing of chocolate cake with dulce de leche. Yum! As you'd probably expect, this premium tequila tasting with food pairings is not cheap. Some of these tequila brands individually cost three figures for a shot if you order off the menu and here you're getting five samplings. If you're a tequila lover though, this is heaven. See more details at the St. Regis activities page.

About the St. Regis Punta Mita

While there are quite a few resorts north of Puerto Vallarta that have "Punta de Mita" in their name, only two of them are actually inside the manned gates of the upscale Punta Mita development of hundreds of prime acres. It's where some of Mexico's most exclusive villas are located and where you can play two of the best golf courses on the Pacific Coast outside of Baja. One of the two luxury hotels you can stay in there is The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort. The Four Seasons opened at the very end of the last century, when only a few homes were dotted around the area and only one of the golf courses was finished. By the time the St. Regis Punta Mita came along, the exclusive gated community was much further along and word was getting out. We reviewed the property soon after it opened and have gone back twice. This time we were checking it out after a major $45 million renovation. Kick back with your favorite beverage and come along on a property tour!

The key selling points of this resort are still in place. It's on a gorgeous stretch of ocean facing an offshore island, there are three beautiful infinity pools facing the sea, and all the rooms in this oceanfront luxury resort have a sizable furnished balcony or terrace to enjoy. This resort spreads out along the water and has a beach to itself, but it is compact enough to get around on foot. This is especially easy if you're staying at one of the beachfront villas with its own plunge pool and kitchen. When it's time to venture out, you just go left, right, or up the hill to have a choice of multiple restaurants. Those range from a beachfront toes-in-the-sand place for lunch to high-end Carolina, where the tasting menu with wine pairings is delightful. There's a full spa here that will help you to relax even more. This is a romantic spot that hosts many celebratory occasions and the staffers have a long list of ways you can create a memorable vacation for two. One unique aspect at this St. Regis resort is the dedicated butler program, where one person is your main contact throughout the stay, taking care of all your needs. Sure, sometimes there will be a butler #2 when the first gets a day off, but either way you're communicating through WhatsApp to get what you need to make your stay wonderful. St. Regis is part of the Marriott family, so you can earn or cash in loyalty points here, a big advantage for business travelers who have elite status. As a guest here, you have access to the golf courses and tennis center facilities in the complex, both off-limits to the general public. See our full review of The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Riviera Nayarit.

Don Julio Tequila Review – Reposado and Anejo

Timothy — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:44:20 +0000

As I've mentioned before on this site, if you want to bring a gift to impress to a Mexican who drinks, the safest bet you can make is Don Julio tequila. You could spend more on Clase Azul and create a bigger impression because of the hand-made porcelain bottle, but Don Julio Reposado or Anejo costs a good bit less, is easy to find in any store that sells liquor, and garners instant respect. Over the years this premium tequila has gotten more marketing muscle behind it, so it's easier to find outside of Mexico as well, but the quality has stayed consistently good. Don Julio has been out as premium tequila since long before that was a trendy thing, around since 1942. What's also not trendy is its singular focus. While the likes of Cuervo and Sauza produce multiple brands in one facility, "La Primavera" distillery only produces this one. No crappy mass-market cocktail swill coming down the same bottling line. They also avoid the shortcuts some others take: the agave fruits are steam-cooked in traditional masonry ovens for three days to release the sweet agave juice slowly, without rushing. Don Julio Gonzales was a real guy too. He founded the company at the age of 17 with a dream and a loan.

Production and Tasting Notes for Don Julio Tequila

Don Julio is considered a premium tequila brand, even if you don't splurge for the 1942 version, but many feel that it is more agave-forward than some of its oak-heavy competitors. Depending on your taste preference, that could be a good or bad thing. The key difference between the reposado and añejo versions is the time in white oak barrels. The smooth highland reposado is aged for eight months. It emanates quality from the first whiff to the last finish, a complex and well-structured mix of spice (especially cinnamon), citrus, and agave sweetness. If you ask many experts what the yardstick should be to measure other tequila brands, Don Julio's reposado comes up more than most others combined. It has become a kind of gold standard. Fittingly, it has won lots of gold medals too in tasting competitions. The añejo version is aged for 18 months, but you wouldn't know it from its looks. Coming out of its brown bottle, it's surprisingly pale for something aged this long. There's a reason for that though: the brand bucks tradition in another way by using the barrels they've already used rather than fresh ones from the bourbon folks. In other words, the barrels holding this version for a year and a half have already hosted the reposado tequila for eight months at least. This makes Don Julio radically different than most others in the sense there's a lot less influence from the wood. There's also no possibility of residual bourbon from Kentucky influencing the taste of a spirit made from 100% blue weber agave. This is an unusual attribute in the tequila world since nearly all other tequila brands use reclaimed barrels that have mellowed out for four years or more with Kentucky bourbon inside. If you prefer a heavy, oak-forward version to sip after dinner, Don Julio anejo is not your best bet. It's one of the most interesting though, with more butterscotch, honey, and spice notes up front than you usually find, with less of the leathery, tobacco kind of notes you normally encounter with tequilas aged this long. It's an intensely pleasurable drinking experience, but can throw people for a loop at first pour. Bartenders have been known to have an order sent back, the patron thinking they got the wrong version. You can see that in the photo above, which I shot after getting a pour of both while staying at The Towers at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica on the beach in Los Cabos. You have to look closely to see that the one on the right has been aged longer.

Luxury Tequila Brands From Don Julio

If you're willing to drop $100+ on something fancier, there's a Don Julio 1942 Tequila aged for at least two and a half years. This ups the ante even more, and the second time I got to try it I saw the light: this is clearly one of the top bottles you can buy at any price. If you're at a high-end all-inclusive resort like La Casa de la Playa in the Riviera Maya, take advantage of it and get a sipping glass of this one. That's still not the most expensive choice from the brand though. I doubt I'll have a chance to try the Don Julio Real bottle anytime soon: with some of the fanciest packaging you'll find anywhere and a "If they'll pay it, we'll make it" attitude, this version lists for an eye-popping $399 at retail. Spring for this when you have a really big deal to celebrate or a key client to impress and tell me how it went. For some reason, that one is not listed on the official website anymore. Instead you'll find the strange but popular 70 Cristalino that has all its color artificially stripped out and a few premium items like the Rosada aged in port barrels. Then there's what may be the most expensive tequila I've seen at retail: the Don Julio Ultima Reserva, a limited edition version that can go for $699. Maybe if you're celebrating a house sale or something equally high-dollar... For more everyday purchases to fill out the home bar, the regular reposado and anejo versions will make you and your guests happy and they won't cost more than your monthly car payment, but it pays to shop around. I've seen the reposado for sale for as little as $28 in Mexico and as much as $70 in an independent U.S. liquor store. It's usually in the $45-$60 range at the big liquor store chains. The añejo is often less than 10 dollars more, making it a relative bargain if you're looking for a sipping tequila with some additional aging. If you're coming to Mexico on vacation, Don Julio is one of the easiest premium brands you'll find, even at places that aren't very fancy otherwise. I've seen it in convenience stores and at swinging-door cantinas. If you go to a high-end all-inclusive resort on the coast somewhere, there's a very good chance they'll have this brand. Set up your own tasting and check it out. (If all this is too much and you're just looking for a bottle to bring to a party for mixing or shots, a reliable bet with Mexicans is Cazadores Tequila, which is one of the best values on the shelf. Or see our other tequila reviews here.)

We’re Loving These Western Rise Pants and Shirts for Travel

Timothy — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:20:05 +0000

Sometimes I check a bag, sometimes I don't, but either way it makes a lot of sense to pack travel clothing that can do double duty and work for multiple situations. There are two apparel brands I pack on every trip now, one of them being Western Rise. I'm loving their pants and shirts for travel. Western Rise only makes clothing for men, sorry ladies. I suggest you check out prAna (the other brand I pack regularly) or Anatomie, which is mostly for women. Now back to this brand though and what I've been wearing on my trips.

Diversion Slim Pants for Travelers

Unless I'm purely on vacation, I usually need travel pants that will work for a hike, a bar, a business meeting, or even being up on stage in the spotlight at a conference. The Diversion Pant Slim checks all the boxes for me. It's a well-made pair of pants that isn't baggy, but has enough stretch that I've been able to hike with these on. On one trip I wore these pants on stage as a conference speaker, to some business meetings, then to a rooftop cocktail party. On another trip I took a bike ride with them on. That versatility is their main draw, but they're also stain-resistant and water-resistant if anyone got clumsy at that cocktail party. One key travel feature I always look for is in place here too: the Western Rise Diversion pant has a zippered pocket for keeping your valuables safe. The pants come in a regular version if you have big legs and they're available in six colors. Order direct or from Amazon.

Western Rise Travel Shirts

While those pants are going to be a staple every year, shirts tend to come and go on these apparel sites, so I hate to link to specific styles that will soon be gone. Here are a few travel shirts from the company that have been in heavy rotation for me this year though. I really like this Outbound Camp Collar shirt that was also on me (with the pants above) for the aforementioned day of speaking, meeting, and partying. It stays wrinkle-free and dries quickly, making it good for travel, and feels like a quality piece of clothing instead of fast fashion. It comes in three colors currently and is antimicrobial and odor-resistant. The other button-down collared shirt from them I've been packing is the Limitless Merino Short Sleeve, also wrinkle-resistant and quick drying. As you'd guess by the name, there's Merino Wool in the mix, in this case 53%. That helps with the odor-resistance and durability, but the synthetic remainder makes it stretchy. It's best to keep it out of the dryer though. The Limitless Merino comes in black and light blue. I'm a big fan of polo shirts for travel, especially if they can be worn multiple times between washings without getting smelly. That's the case with the Limitless Merino Polo Shirt. I packed this polo shirt on every trip I took this summer, from Spain to Virginia to Puerto Rico to Punta Mita. It always looked good (no wrinkling in my suitcase) and the 53% merino wool means I can wear it several times before finding a laundry solution. Like I said, these styles might get replaced by something else next spring, but the key is that every one of these Western Rise clothing items I've been wearing feels carefully constructed, durable, and versatile for traveling men on the move.

Other Clothing Items for Your Vacation

I found a swimsuit I really liked on their site that, unlike most others I see these days, wasn't going to come down to my knees. Unfortunately, I got in too late and they were sold out. Now we're approaching autumn as I write this though, so the selection is changing to items that will look good while warding off the cold. There are a couple of hoodies and long-sleeve shirts, with some jackets on the way when we get into winter. Nothing too out there or flamboyant: these are meant to be quality travel staples that use you can use on almost any trip to look put-together no matter what. Here's a video I filmed while at the St. Regis Punta Mita by the beach in Mexico if you want to see how Western Rise clothing looks in action. To find your future travel staples, head to WesternRise.com or see their section at Amazon.

Video and all photos by Timothy Scott except top shot showing water resistant qualities courtesy of Western Rise.