Category: Hotel/Resort Reviews

Nestled high in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, North Carolina, the Art of Living Retreat Center is the perfect getaway to unwind, find balance, and ground yourself. AOLRC offers a number of programs tailored to different goals. I attended the three day Happiness Retreat. Whatever your spiritual goals may be, AOLRC has a program for you.

Before I get any further, I want to share that AOLRC is giving away a free Happiness Retreat to one of my followers. Enter here:

https://artoflivingretreatcenter.org/lp/christine-connell-giveaway/

Art of Living was founded in 1981 by humanitarian and spiritual teacher Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and currently operates in more than 150 countries. Art of Living Programs are guided by Sri Sri’s philosophy “Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace.”

Now, here are the top five reasons you should visit AOLRC:

1. It’s for a good cause. Art of Living is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that supports various service projects in the US and globally. In the US, Art of Living USA supports prisoner rehabilitation, disaster & trauma relief, youth empowerment in schools, and trauma relief for veterans. Internationally, the Art of Living Foundation works in collaboration with The International Association for Human Values and with the United Nations Social and Economic Council to implement numerous humanitarian and service initiatives including conflict resolution programs, disaster relief, sustainable rural development, empowerment of women, education for all, and environmental sustainability.
2. You will learn to be present. I’ve always considered myself a happy person. I have a great life filled with great people. However, as a lawyer and a blogger, I’m always busy working and planning. I obsess over my schedule and planning in the future. I’m not always good at living in the present. But being present is necessary to be truly happy. AOLRC will teach you breathing techniques and other methods that will help you be present. You’ll also learn to have greater control over your mind.
3. The food is healthy and delicious. I’m a vegan, so it’s often difficult for me to find food while traveling. AOLRC serves all vegetarian and mostly vegan food. Vegan food is clearly labeled, as are several allergens. AOLRC will work with you to accommodate any dietary restrictions you have.
4. It’s a great place to meet friends. Everyone I met at AOLRC was kind and genuine. I met friends who have similar interests and values. I’m sure I will continue to stay in contact with them for years to come.
5. The property is gorgeous. AOLRC is located in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. When you look outside, you’ll see green trees and soft blue layers of mountains. I couldn’t imagine a more serene setting to relax and reset.

Located just a couple of hours outside of NYC and nestled in the Poconos Mountains is Deerfield Health Retreat and Spa, a modern version of an “adult sleepaway camp.” Located in cozy country style inn, Deerfield offers a “choose your own adventure” style camp minus all of the planning. Deerfield is a great place to meet likeminded people. Meals are enjoyed with other guests and you can choose from many activities scheduled throughout the day – including hiking, fitness classes such as yoga and Pilates, and bingo. Deerfield is located just a few minutes from the famed Delaware Water Gap where guests can spend the day hiking or canoeing.

Deerfield is the perfect place to meet new friends while going through a healthy reset. Many visitors come back time and time again and claim they are “addicted” to this special place.

Britton and I drove from La Guardia airport to Deerfield on Friday evening. The drive took us about two hours. We were greeted and shown around the property. We enjoyed some tea and fruit before heading to bed.

Saturday morning we woke up, ate some fruit for breakfast, and headed out to hike Mount Tammany: Red Dot and Blue Loop trail.

The hike took us about 2 hours and 15 minutes including stops. The hike has a few light scramble sections, but is mostly an easy to follow trail.

I recommend stopping at the first viewpoint, as I think it is more scenic than the top, which also gets extremely crowded. We made the mistake of passing by the first viewpoint, assuming the top would be better.

On the way back down, there are beautiful waterfalls.

After our hike, we returned to Deerfield for dinner. I’m a vegan and Britton is a pescatarian. I got a rice and vegetables dish and Britton got salmon. The food tasted fresh and healthy. It was the perfect post-hike meal.

After dinner, we enjoyed Deerfield’s incredible spa. Britton and I both got facials. The esthetician was knowledgeable and customized our facials based on our skin types. The products were great as well. She did a great job with extractions and added a nice massage (she’s also a massage therapist!) while we had masks on. Britton and I spend a little more than our fair share of time in spas, and we both were impressed with our experience. Our skin was glowing the next day! We would go back to Deerfield for the spa alone.

After our facials, we went to sleep. We woke up Sunday, had breakfast, and got ready to tackle Deerfield’s fitness classes.

Britton and I took the butts and guts class and then Pilates reformer back to back. Both were good classes. Britton and I are fairly active and we felt like we got a good workout. The instructor was fun and supportive. All of the guests bonded over squats and lunges. It was fun!

Deerfield is a great place located conveniently outside of NYC and Philadelphia. If you’re looking for a relaxing escape where you can meet new friends and make a healthy lifestyle charge, Deerfield is your place!

I received a complimentary stay in exchange for writing this post.  As always, all opinions are my own.

I have always loved taking advantage of the natural healing powers of the earth. I use natural and organic products and I am a vegan. The Dead Sea has been a dream destination of mine for ages. The minerals in the water have been known to help with many skin problems. The salt in the water helps heal scrapes (don’t go in with a serious wound though). And the low elevation makes the Dead Sea one of the easiest places to breathe in the world because of the high oxygen level. My dream came true and I spent a few days at the Hilton Dead Sea.

The hotel has a vibe that feels close to nature. The decor is simple, fresh, and natural. All of the staff members are incredibly kind and helpful. It is the perfect place to unwind, relax, and let all of your worries slip away.

We even got specially made vegan food, including these adorable desserts:

The Hilton Dead Sea almost feels like a wellness retreat. Our days started with breakfast and relaxing by the pool. Later in the afternoon, we would walk down to the Dead Sea for a soak, mud massage, and salt scrub. Then we would eat dinner, go to sleep, and repeat.

Did I mention that the mud massages and salt scrubs are free for guests? That’s right, a daily treatment on the beach is included with your stay.

When I left the Hilton Dead Sea I was mentally relaxed. It was just what I needed. My skin was the softest I can remember it ever being. My face had a glow. My pores were smaller. The Dead Sea is like magic. And the Hilton is the perfect place to stay during your visit.

I received a complimentary stay in exchange for writing this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Before I visited Calimera Habiba, I didn’t know that Marsa Alam exists. It’s a small, hidden gem on the Red Sea in Egypt. Marsa Alam isn’t crowded and it’s a divers paradise.

If you find yourself in Marsa Alam, Calimera Habiba is the place to stay! The staff are friendly and attentive. The rooms are spacious. The beach is amazing. And the dive center next door is awesome.

Aside from diving, there is a 4×4 tour company across the street and the desert dunes are so much fun!

The front desk was extremely accommodating and arranged all of our activities for us. We just said what we wanted to do and within an hour, they had it booked. Talk about good service!

We are vegan and the restaurant managers were quick to come up with delicious vegan options for us. After we went to our first meal, every server knew about our dietary restrictions and was prepared to cater to us.

I can’t recommend Calimera Habiba and Marsa Alam enough!!

When I arrived at Serengeti Migration Camp, I was handled a stainless steel water bottle and told where water refill stations are located. The manager explained that the camp is environmentally conscious, and doesn’t want to produce unnecessary plastic waste. I already knew I would love it here. The rooms are run by solar power. I love when places are environmentally friendly, especially when they are so close to nature. It just makes sense.

I forgot to mention that I’m a vegan before I arrived. I wasn’t expecting much in the way of food because of my restrictions and the late notice I gave. However, in the 45 minutes it took me to take a shower and walk to the dinner tent, the chef had already prepared two vegan options to choose from for each course of a three course meal. And they weren’t simple options either. I ended up having sweet potato soup, a curry dish, and banana crepes for dessert. And that banana crepe was quite possibly the best dessert I have ever had. Every meal was carefully prepared and catered to my dietary restrictions. Even my packed lunches were vegan. As a vegan, I’m used to getting bland meals, but my meals at Serengeti Migration Camp were flavorful and unique.

When I got to my room, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. I knew it was called a luxury tented camp, but I wasn’t expecting this! There was a huge bed, a double sink, a sitting area, and a massive balcony. The decor was elegant but felt natural. I could hear the hippos. It was like all of the good things about camping but without any of the discomfort. Instead, it is luxurious and comfortable.

The customer service at Serengeti Migration Camp was out of this world. Every employee knew my name and was more than willing to help me with anything I wanted. It was a personalized experience that I’ll never forget. When I looked cold, someone always offered to bring me a blanket. If I sat down in the lobby, I had a drink and vegan appetizers to eat within a few minutes. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay.

Of course most people who come to Serengeti Migration Camp want to see animals, so I’ll talk about my game drive as well. My guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible. It wasn’t like other safaris I’ve been on when we just stopped to take photos – my guide actually taught me about the animals we saw and the environment. He knew so much information and it was amazing to learn from him. We saw some incredible animals and I’ll never forget the experience.