We traveled to a ton of diverse places this year, from a staycation here in our hometown of Chicago, to a luxury Caribbean retreat, to a long weekend in our favorite European Capital City just to see one painting! My Top Five Activity list is always a really tough one to curate each year, but it’s always fun to reflect on all of the things we did and memories made. Here are my five (actually six!) favorites! 5. Spa Time…
We stayed at a really diverse range of resorts and hotels this year. From a tiny, boutique resort in Roatan, Honduras, to the epically luxe St. Regis in Chicago for a treat-yourself staycation. It was tough to not only narrow down the absolute best of the year, but ranking this year was also difficult, since the Top Five were all really spectacular. But the hard part is over, on to the list! 5. Bryant Park Hotel, New York City We…
As always, eating at restaurants in one of the greatest food cities in the world, is simply a privilege and a blessing that I do not take for granted. Standards for food and service in this city are high, and it often feels like any place you go is vying for relevance and trying extra hard to impress. There are plenty of places that fall short, and they don’t last long, but this year’s list includes some relative newcomers that…
We are from Chicago, and so there is a real lack of Chicago hotel reviews on my website, although I am hoping to change that, and add some more staycations to my regularly scheduled travel program. We stayed at the St. Regis, Chicago, though, in late November as a special little staycation for my husband’s birthday, and also because I needed one more night at a Marriott hotel to reach the next status tier. We only stayed here for one…
My Top Five restaurants for the world list this year, while not totally devoid of Michelin stars, has very few, mainly because there were some truly stand-out restaurants that really outshined others this year regardless of international accolades. Overall, this list is also probably the least expensive list of restaurants on ChiLuxe Travel, which simply means that we ate really well on our vacations this year without spending a ton. Here we go! 5. Luna Muna, Roatan, Honduras Luna Muna…
We’re lucky to live in Chicago with so many luxe hotels in the city. Each has their own high-end spa set-up and I’ve been slowly checking them all out over the years. One of these days I’ll put together a list of my most recommended spas and the plusses and minuses for each one, but for now, this article is going to tell you everything you want to know about the St. Regis Spa in Chicago! I booked a massage…
On a recent trip to New York City, we spent just about an entire day art museum hopping. To catch our breath after spending the morning at The Met, we decided to have lunch at Cafe Sabarsky, which is a few blocks north. The best part is that this cafe is also in a small art museum, The Neue Galerie, housing several pieces by one of my favorite artists – Gustav Klimt. On a Friday afternoon, just after 12pm, Cafe…
I am so thrilled to report that Chicago is back on the map as far as absolutely superb Italian-inspired restaurants go. After several disappointing meals at very popular spots like Il Carciofo and RPM Italian, I was starting to worry I’d never find good Italian food in the city again. Then, I had dinner at Daisies, which was a revelation, and I reviewed it here, and hope for amazing pasta in Chicago returned. Finally, most recently on Thanksgiving weekend, we…
We stayed at the Bryant Park Hotel in Midtown, New York City, for a lovely four nights in October of 2025. When I was booking this trip, location was my highest priority, but I also wanted something unique and interesting, and boutique if possible, and not at a stupidly high price point, which is not an easy ask in Midtown Manhattan. I stumbled across this hotel which is located right behind the New York Public Library, and is adjacent to…
We visited The Frick Collection on a recent trip to New York City in October, 2025. Recently updated and reopened, this stunning venue is full of incredible art and the building itself is noteworthy as well. According to the website, timed tickets are required to be purchased in advance, however when we arrived on a Friday afternoon, we were able to walk in and purchase tickets for admission on the spot. There was no line, and it seemed fine. Tickets…