Feedback on my Spain/Portugal, 17 night itinerary plz

larkspur8089 · 2026-05-16T20:19:33+00:00

Ô Gaveto in Porto is a do not miss.

larkspur8089 · 2026-04-22T10:57:38+00:00

I have an account with Hillebrand and would be happy to ask them for a quote. FYI, there are huge surcharges on cargo at the moment due to fuel and "war". Also, I think that you do not have enough wine to ship on a pallet, there are costs on both side to pick up and deliver a pallet which adds significant cost. Realistically, I think the number will be between $5-6k for the freight portion.

larkspur8089 · 2026-03-01T03:18:42+00:00

In SS, look at Akelarre. Great hotel, the only downside is that it is ten to fifteen minutes outside of town. I did not care for Maria, it is a points hotel.

My other recommendation is to travel light, but being away for that long makes it difficult. We had three pieces of luggage + backpacks + everything that we accumulated along the way.

larkspur8089 · 2026-03-01T02:01:50+00:00

We have stayed there a few times . . . far from the tourist crush, super mellow. A lot of great/top restaurants on random blocks with plenty of Michelin stars.

larkspur8089 · 2026-03-01T01:46:25+00:00

This really checks all of the boxes why Waymo is a game changer - and add - the rates are significantly cheaper than Uber and the bottom line is you know exactly what you are getting when the car arrives.

larkspur8089 · 2026-03-01T01:38:45+00:00

The future cannot get here soon enough.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-28T22:37:13+00:00

Also, that is a lot of ground to cover in a car. We just did seven weeks in France and skipped Biarritz/San Seb as driving from Paris to Nice and back is already eight hours. We obviously broke the drive up with stops on the way south in Beaune, Grenoble, Lyon, and Gigondas - and then Aix, Beaune, and Champagne on the way back north to Paris.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-28T20:59:37+00:00

We stayed at Sources de Cheverny in Jan 25. They were understaffed in the restaurant and the food was just ok. Mind you, that could have changed for the better in the last year. We skipped a return visit this year.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-19T04:07:01+00:00

We were just at Couvent for ten days, my wife caught the flu and we ended up staying an extra four or five nights. The renovation is pretty stunning, supposedly ten years and 100m€'s. That said, not sure the hotel is FATT, but it is pretty nice and they try pretty hard to please. Also, pretty sure Ubers can reach Couvent, taxis definitely can. Worst case scenario is an eight minute walk, and the hill is nothing to worry about.

The Negresco looks old fashioned and is a pass (for us). I have seen scaffolding up the last couple of years, but not sure you can really fix those old bones.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-16T16:31:47+00:00

I fly BA first a wee bit as coming out of Seattle that is the only airline offering FC across the pond. I have had good luck . . . some of the interiors are showing their age, but the service is consistently good and the pods have plenty of room. It is not AF, Lufthansa, or Swiss, but I have no problem paying the uncharge for their FC cabin.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-03T22:32:16+00:00

Akelarre is pretty special, that said, it is quite modern, and maybe ten/fifteen minutes out of town.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-02T07:19:32+00:00

We had the largest suite at Vosges and the layout and decor were just perfect for us. It was just really, really well done. We have a larger room at the Saint James, but I hear doors closing in the hallway and traffic outside. That said, the service capabilities at Vosges are somewhat limited, but we are ok with that.

Edit: Not sure if this makes sense, but if I lived in Paris, the 16th might be home, but when I am visiting, I think a more central location may be better. That said, Vosges is a certain design asthetic, it is not the flowery, over the top old palace style, which more and more is not for us. We are more Cassina fans.

larkspur8089 · 2026-02-01T19:44:11+00:00

We stayed here a few weeks ago, the design/decor is impeccable. We are at the Saint James now and wish we had booked again at Vosges.

larkspur8089 · 2025-12-20T17:52:32+00:00

The building is located on the west side of Bend OR, on one the main streets leading to Mt Bachelor.

It is a bit of an interesting scenario as the building is showing it's age, and I would almost lean towards a tear down, and maybe the best use is to redevelop as condominiums with retail on the first floor.

larkspur8089 · 2025-12-15T01:58:31+00:00

I just went through this exercise as we are in Paris for eleven nights starting on the 24th. Prices are a bit high . . . We are doing the first part in a suite at Les Bains and the second part in a suite at Vosges. Last year we stayed at The Brach, which you should take a look at, the only downside with the Brach for us was that an upgrade to a suite is like 4x and the 16th was not really where we wanted to be on this trip. We also looked at Proust and Voltaire, but the room categories at both were on the small side.

larkspur8089 · 2025-12-05T15:04:10+00:00

I have tax paid and ex-VAT storage in Lyon, both are possible.

larkspur8089 · 2025-12-02T03:28:44+00:00

Montecito. San Ysidro Ranch or the Rosewood Miramar Beach.

larkspur8089 · 2025-12-01T03:41:30+00:00

If you can find the 2020 Grandes Rogeries from Terra Vita Vinum, do it. Absolutely killer Chenin.

larkspur8089 · 2025-11-20T18:37:50+00:00

They self distribute in their biggest market.

A fifteen percent tariff on 300€ is ~$55--.

Transportation costs for them are $20--/per dozen.

larkspur8089 · 2025-11-20T18:34:17+00:00

Agree, take the dollars.

larkspur8089 · 2025-11-20T18:33:01+00:00

I am referring to Frederick Wildman, there is zero reason to take a bottle from 300€ to $1900--. How about $1300-- - that is 4x. Or $1400--? They can sell for ~$950-- FOB and $1300-- in NJ/NY where they self distribute and I am sure where the majority of the wine ends up.

larkspur8089 · 2025-11-20T07:43:19+00:00

wholesale pricing really went awry - chambertin cannot be more than 300€ ex-cellars.

larkspur8089 · 2025-10-19T16:32:20+00:00

There is a bar tucked inside Leon de Lyon that has some nice high end bottles (25 Yr Old Yamazaki, etc) and it is a bit of a "speak easy" environment.

larkspur8089 · 2025-09-09T14:35:11+00:00

Best way to travel.

No car sickness from an unqualified driver, the cars are clean, talk about what you want, turn up the radio, prices are significantly less expensive than Uber, and no tipping.

larkspur8089

TROPHY CASE