JustLuxe: Sean Hillen Articles / News

Bercy Village: From Wine Market to World-Class Shopping, Dining and Entertainment

Sean Hillen — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:28:52 EDT

Fancy a round (or two) of shopping followed by a workout at the gym, or how about relaxing in a sauna before a tasty lunch? For film buffs, how about a choice of movie on one of 18 indoor screens in an attractive suburban Paris setting? Then look no further than Bercy Village, an outdoor shopping complex in Cour St. Emilion, Paris. Strolling along its central, tulip-lined cobblestone streets past terraced restaurants and retail stores makes for a delightful day out....

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Paris Walks offer a unique view of the City of Light

Sean Hillen — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:50:06 EDT

With Paris being one of the world's best 'strolling' cities, there's no better way to understand its layout as well as learn about its history and development than�to join one of the organised walking tours there.

...

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The Raphael Hotel: Just Steps from Kansas City's Best Attractions

Sean Hillen — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:10:04 EDT

One of the highlights of any visit to Kansas City, Missouri is a leisurely stroll through the delightful area of fashionable restaurants, stores and ornate fountains known as the Spanish Plaza. The stucco architecture of its buildings are modeled after those in Seville, with whom it has a long-established sister city relationship. Located directly in front of the plaza is The Raphael Hotel, which has been voted as one of the 2013 Travel + Leisure 500 World's Best Hotels....

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Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate: A Family Vacation Without the Lines

Sean Hillen — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:03:44 EDT

Traveling to Orlando, Florida on family vacations inevitably means one thing: theme parks, theme parks and, yes, more theme parks. So, it�s often nice to have other options, and Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate offers that in abundance....

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The James Chicago: An Urban Hotel A Little On the Quirky Side

Sean Hillen — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:55:45 EDT

Modern and quirky sums up The James Hotel in downtown Chicago. So quirky that the television in our room was not a normal screen, but a projection onto a corner wall with a flat lean-back seat as wide as the bed in front of it....

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13th Century Ashford Castle: Irish Hospitality on Lake Corrib

Sean Hillen — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:10:05 EDT

A winding driveway through manicured lawns fronted by an imposing gatehouse with crenellated stone battlements�the first clues that something impressive lies beyond. But still, these elements ill-prepare one for the full splendor of the Ashford Castle, as the magnificent 13th century Irish edifice comes into view beyond the last gentle rise of land....

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Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Coastal Italy in Central Florida

Sean Hillen — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:03:00 EDT

Sprinkling fountains; statues of muscular, half-clad Roman centurions; an ornate piazza; an open balcony high above from which two opera singers sang a delightful duet�ah, pure Italian passion and romance! Except it�s not Italy....

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A Stay at Ocean Key Resort & Spa on the Colorful Island of Key West

Sean Hillen — Thu, 02 May 2013 03:09:55 EDT

Located at one end of Duval Street in the heart of Key West�s bustling tourism center, the aptly-named Ocean Key Resort & Spa�a Nobel House property�makes for an easy walk to many of the area�s most historic landmarks, museums, restaurants, bars and nightclubs....

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The Talbott Hotel: Classic Victorian Splendor in Downtown Chicago

Sean Hillen — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:35:03 EDT

A peculiar-looking cow�its red and black colored back reminding me of a giant ladybug�walking up the front sandstone fa�ade of the building means The Talbott Hotel in downtown Chicago is hard to miss. Its entrance, with twin potted plants, ash-gray overhanging awning, polished glass and brass doors, and a valet in full livery, reminded me of a bygone era�a Private Gentlemens' Club in Victorian London....

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Higuero Restaurant, Santo Domingo, traditional food with a gourmet touch

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:59:59 EDT

Stepping out on to the busy streets of Zona Colonial in downtown Santo Domingo, the smell of fried chicken, pizza, pasta, steak and French fries envelopes one, wafting from terraced restaurants or through windows in old, ornate Spanish buildings....

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Fragrances based on memories

Sean Hillen — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:19:25 EDT

From electronic art aka experimental video and sound to perfume making may seem like a big leap, but for Kansas Citian Jill McKeever they are both similar - in many senses.

�Creating perfumes is a bit like creating music,� sa...

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Belfast theatre bounces back from troubling times

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:30:50 EDT

Belfast � once suffering from what was known in street jargon as �The Troubles� � is now thriving in times of peace and evidence of this lies in its healthy, diverse theatre.

With an estimated 18.1 million pound r...

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Seeking innovative theatrical gems in Dublin

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:29:35 EDT

Dublin enjoys an enduring reputation for theatrical productions but, unfortunately, tourists often don�t look beyond - and some hotel concierges don�t bother to advise beyond - the usual downtown stalwarts of the Abbey, the Gaiety and...

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Chicago, cosmopolitan diversity with a cozy, Midwestern hominess

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:28:54 EDT

With people as different as President Barack Obama and gangster Al Capone linked closely to it, it�s not hard to imagine how diverse Chicago must be.

And its reality lives up to its reputation.

From skyscrapers such as the Jo...

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Kansas City, renovation and rejuvenation deliver quality tourism

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:27:23 EDT

For many years, Kansas City has been battling to usurp St. Louis, its larger neighbor to the east, as the cultural, sports and entertainment capital of Missouri, the Show-Me state.

Not since the so-called �I-70 World Series�...

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The Helm, a cozy, family west-of-Ireland bar and restaurant, with good food

Sean Hillen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:31:31 EDT

If you�re looking for an authentic family restaurant on Ireland�s scenic west coast with well-priced, fresh food in an informal, lively atmosphere, look no farther than �The Helm� on the seafront in Westport, County Mayo,...

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Slinging oils, making smells

Sean Hillen — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:14:55 EDT

If you walked too fast, you might miss it, and that would be a shame.

For Aroma Workshop (www.aromaworkshop.com) operates out of a small, glass-fronted store off trendy Halsted Street in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago where the delicat...

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Amber and Larimar Museums, jewels of Santo Domingo

Sean Hillen — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:12:28 EDT

Literary creativity by novelist Michael Crichton followed by the Hollywood hype of Steven Spielberg�s �Jurassic Park� movie made the substance famous worldwide � now visit the amber museum a short walk off the central histo...

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Key West, Florida, cultural entertainment in abundance

Sean Hillen — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:42:30 EDT

Having a reputation as a rather boisterous vacation spot with loud street music and tightly-knit streets crowded with people, flavoured margaritas in hand looking for action, it is surprising to learn that Key West also packs more cultural attrac...

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Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, historic host of diverse shows

Sean Hillen — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:26:10 EDT

A full-size bus sliced in half with two barely-dressed drag queens and a trans-sexual cavorting inside, a giant, glittering silver high-heel placed on top and three lively ladies dangling high above on strings singing merrily together.

Inc...

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The Grand Old Lady of Galway Welcomes Guests to Historic Eyre Square

Sean Hillen — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:32:48 EST

Known as �the grand old lady of the square,� the elegant, old world charm of the Meyrick Hotel is a perfect passport into Ireland�s western city of Galway and the wild beauty of the Connemara region beyond. Located in the central, stately Eyre Square which celebrates its 300th anniversary this year, the luxury hotel offers visitors a convenient location from which to walk leisurely through what is one of the most attractive downtown areas in Ireland.

The hotel has a narrow off-road space in front where new arrivals can park and unload baggage, while regular parking is taken care of by valet, the lot being an easy, few hundred-yard walk around the corner....

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A Shining Gem in Western Ireland | Ballynahinch Castle

Sean Hillen — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:13:18 EST

Try as I might, it�s hard to imagine a more tranquil retreat than Ballynahinch Castle, tucked away among the hills, rocks, turf bogs, rivers, lakes and forest glades of central Connemara in western Ireland. Reached after an hour or so journey from Galway city, this 14th-century castle lies snug off the road behind wrought-iron black and gold gates, past several impressive chalk-white buildings and along a narrow driveway, bordered by boulders, that winds its way past a stone bridge and pleasant copses....

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Contemporary Hotel in a Quaint Irish Town | Westport Plaza Hotel

Sean Hillen — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 06:34:50 EST

What began as a small family bed and breakfast operation in 1972 has now turned into not one, not two, but three hotels in and around the pretty coastal town of Westport in County Mayo, Ireland. All built by members of the Doran clan, the four-star, 87-room Westport Plaza is one of the three, located as it is in the downtown area of this once bustling port, now a thriving tourism center, a short 10-minute drive from the blustery Atlantic Ocean....

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Luxury Ireland Hotel With Spa Near Croagh Patrick

Sean Hillen — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 06:34:50 EST

Enjoy The Quiet Comfort of Galway Bay Hotel

Sean Hillen — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 07:45:53 EST

Galway is an attractive Irish city, but like most such places, traffic at times can be challenging so an interesting choice of vacation spot is the town of Salthill, just outside the metropolis where the Galway Bay Hotel is located. An extensive, multi-gabled sand-colored building, this 153-bed, four-star property stands proudly before the Atlantic Ocean. It offers a picturesque view over the rocky seafront and a long promenade that stretches all the way to Galway several miles away....

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