Monthly Archives: February 2013

Rio Part 3: The Best of Rio Hotels

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By Dave Guenther, President of Roadtrips Inc.

Rio De Janeiro is an amazing place that is used to attracting huge crowds. During this year’s Carnival the world once again descended upon the city. Millions filled the streets to engage the festivities or start some of their own. There were, of course, all kinds of VIPs and celebrities including Kim and Kanye, Will Smith and squeeze and many Brazilian actors and athletes unrecognizable to me. Visitors were estimated at more than 500,000+ and who knows where they all stayed. Rio is a world-class destination without a lot of world-class hotels.

As a luxury travel guy with clients that have very high standards, knowing the city’s accommodation inventory and visiting a lot of hotels is essential. My current trip is the first time that I’ve stayed in the city without staying in a hotel. Being with my family and here for a month we’ve rented a villa in Joatinga, a hillside enclave just before the southwestern suburb of Barra, where the Summer Games will be headquartered. However, on my other visits, I’ve sampled some of the city’s best hotels and on this trip, as with all others, I’ve spent significant time in each of the city’s best properties either eating, lounging or being toured around.

With that introduction, here’s my take on Rio’s best accommodation options. Continue reading →

The Masters Experience: Exclusive Insights from Roadtrips.com

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the_mastersGoing to the Masters – it’s every golf fan’s dream. Year after year, millions watch through their TV screens, wishing they were there. They’re longing to be one of those lucky individuals at hole 12, watching Phil checking the wind and deciding between a P and a 9 iron.
 
Imagine if you were there…
 
You’re in Augusta. You can tell because the pink azaleas are already in bloom. Somehow spring arrives earlier in Augusta and you feel like you’ve walked onto a movie set. You’re standing outside your hotel. It’s not exactly a 5-star property because those don’t exist in small town Georgia, but the parking lot is full of luxury cars and you can’t help but be amused at the paradox.  Continue reading →

3 Upcoming Horse Racing Events you Won’t Want to Miss!

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Horse races are truly the sport of celebrity, extravagance, tradition and luxury. At Roadtrips, we can give you access to these exclusive events with our custom travel packages. Here are the top 3 races you should be looking forward to in 2013:  Continue reading →

Rio Part 2: A Little Portuguese Goes A Long Way

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By Dave Guenther, Roadtrips Inc.
 
Rio De Janeiro
Rio De Janeiro is a world-class destination that regularly captures headlines because of its glamour, stunning beauty and exotic vistas. However, it is not a place where you’ll find much English spoken. The language of Brazil is Portuguese and outside of the major hotels, it can be a challenge for visitors to communicate. Many restaurants have only one or two English-speaking employees and after your introduction to the hostess they will be quickly summoned to practice their halting ingles with you.
 
Of course, this doesn’t mean you won’t get by. It’s amazing what grunts and hand gestures can accomplish. Plus you’ll be thrilled to see how much your party skill charades achieve when accompanied by whatever you remember of high school ‘Spanglish’. Personally, I only learnt introductory French in high school and when misunderstood I like to add a foreign accent and repeat again in English; often with extra volume. While not effective, at least I’m entertaining and appear determined! Continue reading →

A Month in Rio – By Dave Guenther, President of Roadtrips Inc.

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rioWe’ve pulled the kids out of school (again!), escaped the harshness of winter and have moved to beautiful and exotic Rio De Janiero, Brazil for a month of adventure, family together time and site familiarization.
 
What we’re doing might be a different take on ‘product education’ but our previous family experience of moving to Cape Town for five months ahead of the 2010 World Cup proved not only invaluable but also one of the best family times that we had ever experienced. The takeaways from that time away go on and on. Learning how to live in a new place is bonding. New activities, fresh tastes, completely different ways of doing things bring surprising joy and shared experience. Continue reading →

11 Things You Must Experience at the World Cup

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At Roadtrips, we can put together a completely customized trip to next year’s biggest sporting event – the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. There are 12 host cities and countless memories to be made in the beautiful, breathtaking country of Brazil. We’ve put together a list of things you must experience at the World Cup: Continue reading →

The Top 5 Exclusive Sporting Events from Roadtrips

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Putting together the ultimate sports travel package involves a lot of components – you must arrange travel, get tickets, book hotels and plan activities for your custom trip. Luckily, Roadtrips makes it easy for you! Coming up with the perfect ultimate sports travel experience is our job. Our travel packages prioritize what you want from your ultimate sports travel experience. We can take you to any exclusive sporting events around the world. Here’s our list of the top 5 most exclusive sporting events that Roadtrips can give you access to: Continue reading →

7 Great New Orleans Restaurants to Eat at During the Super Bowl

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Everyone here at Roadtrips is excited for the 2013 Super Bowl… of course for the exciting game, halftime show and great atmosphere, but also for the delicious New Orleans food! There are many places where you can grab something to eat around the event, but there are very few restaurants that rise up to this exclusive occasion. Here’s our list of favourite restaurants you can’t miss if you ever find yourself in New Orleans. Continue reading →