The Fairmont San Francisco

Hotel Snapshot

Guests arrive at the Fairmont San Francisco feeling like they have just walked into an American Palace. The old-world glamour of the lobby and common areas are reminiscent of a time past while the contemporary room features cater to the gusts of the 21st century. Stroll the hallways lined with photographs of American icons or relax with a cocktail while enjoying the panoramic view of the city from the hotel’s rooftop terrace and gardens.

Why You’ll Love Ii

  • This historic property at the top of Nob Hill is located at the only spot in the city where each of the city’s cable car lines meet, making the hotel a short ride to downtown, the Financial District, Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Take the elevator down to the basement and sip on the city’s best Mai Tai at the famous Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar for an experience unlike anything else. Give yourself a full hour there so you don’t miss out on all the surprises that pop up
  • The property’s proximity to Chinatown allows easy access to all the best hole-in-the-wall dining. It’s only a short walk from the hotel!

As Experienced by River Oaks Travel Advisors

San Francisco is a bustling and eclectic American city. It’s funky and weird and smart and refined all at once. The city has so much history and has changed so much over the years and the Fairmont San Francisco is a property where visitors can experience a little bit of it all. The grandeur of the lobby with a large marble staircase and elegant gold and vintage features make guests feel like royalty from the moment they enter throughout the duration of their stay.

The hotel’s hallways are lined with photos of former US presidents, famous diplomats, and international world leaders. It’s fascinating to walk through them and see the hotel’s homage to so many historical moments.

The rooms are bright and fresh with some classic touches. The hotel’s original main building is home to many of the signature suites and the beautiful penthouse. We like the more modern tower rooms for their extra space and sweeping views of the city. On a clear day you can even see the bridge from some of the top floors!

Guests can depart the hotel for some city sightseeing by foot and enjoy the city’s views as they walk downhill but we advise to take the cable car back to the hotel to avoid the uphill walk at the end of the day.

A stay at the Fairmont San Francisco is never complete without a visit to the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar. The bar offers Asian cuisine, tropical cocktails, and a memorable experience unlike anything else.

Advisor Tip

Hosting a big event? You can rent out the multi-bedroom penthouse suite to host anything from a formal diplomatic event to a wedding rehearsal dinner for a night with no minimum. The staff can tell your guests stories of secret doors and presidential misdeeds while the bubbly flows.

With Our Compliments

  • Upgrade on availability, subject to availability (excluding Specialty Suites and Residences)
  • Continental breakfast daily for two in Laurel Court Restaurant
  • $100 Food & Beverage Credit
  • Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

Reserve your stay at the Fairmont San Francisco, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

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Planning your own trip to San Francisco?

Want to know the difference between the various city hotels? Contact us or make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable Houston travel agents to get started!

The Montage Los Cabos: Luxury Beach Resort

Hotel Snapshot

Set on the beautiful (and swimmable!) Santa Maria Bay, the Montage Los Cabos is a stunning newcomer to Baja California. This luxury beach resort is designed in a contemporary and chic Mexican style, with a zen feeling throughout.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The resort is located on one of Cabos’ few swimmable beaches, making it easy to snorkel and swim without ever leaving the property
  • All rooms are spacious (the smallest room is 895 sqft) and feature dreamy deep soaking tubs and outdoor showers
  • The many flavors sold of the traditional homemade paleta popsicles – from strawberries and cream to avocado, you’ll be hard pressed not to order one every hour!

As Experienced by Travel Advisor Samantha Collum

Los Cabos offers many luxury hotels, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when visiting the new Montage Los Cabos. Trust me: you’ll be blown away. The landscape is designed to feel refined but natural, with smooth stone and a fiery plaque to announce your arrival to the resort. By the time you pass the security gates, the front desk staff is already prepared with welcome drinks, cool towels, and your room ready – though with the stunning views from the lobby, we won’t blame you if you linger a while before moving on.

First, the rooms (though they’re all practically suites!). Think desert chic room design, combining clean lines with local woods and art pieces. The ambiance feels residential and luxurious, exactly what you want when needing some R&R! The cherry on top? A lavish bathroom with its outdoor shower and deep soaking tub – perfect for reading a book with a margarita in hand.

While the rooms are lovely, the rest of the resort is equally luxurious and relaxing in design. Looking to get some sun? Pick from three palm-lined pools overlooking the ocean, or lounge in the adults-only spa pool. And don’t worry about dozing off – the attentive staff will move your umbrella to make sure you don’t sunburn. How’s that for service? Alternatively, take a dip in the beautiful Santa Maria Bay, one of the few swimmable beaches in the area.

Then, there’s the 40,000-square-foot Spa Montage, complete with steam rooms, jetted hot tubs, and cold plunge pools. Following a busy day spent snorkeling, paddle boarding, and sun bathing, enjoy one of the many treatments designed with indigenous ingredients and a holistic approach to health.

Advisor Tip

While margaritas may be the “order du jour”, set aside time to do a Mezcal Tasting with the head bartender. Mezcal is an agave-based liquor like tequila, but with a characteristically smoky taste. Feeling adventurous? Pair your mezcal with crunchy fried chapulines, a salty bar snack better known as crickets!

River Oaks Travel Extras

  • Upgrade on availability, subject to availability (excluding Specialty Suites and Residences)
  • Daily $70 breakfast credit per bedroom
  • $100 Resort Credit
  • Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

Reserve your stay at the Montage Los Cabos, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

Want more help?

Planning your own trip to Los Cabos? Want to know the difference between the various Los Cabos resorts? Contact us or make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable Houston travel agents to get started!

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

Hotel Snapshot

With an unbeatable location, fabulous service, and the city’s largest full-service Club Level Lounge, the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco is the perfect home base for your next visit to the Golden Gate City.

Why You’ll Love It

  • While the interior is newly refurbished, the building dates from 1909, giving the entire hotel an iconic presence.
  • With an unbeatable location in the heart of San Francisco near Chinatown and Union Square, the hotel is the perfect base for sightseeing all over the city. Plus, it’s only halfway up Nob Hill, making it easier on the legs too!
  • The Ritz Carlton San Francisco is the only Forbes 5* in the city – after a night spent enjoying the hotel, you’ll understand why!

As Experienced by Agency Owner Dasha Westerfield

From the moment our taxi pulled up to the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, I knew I was in for a treat. First, the hotel is housed in a beautiful historical building dating from 1909, with a sparkling glamour that you don’t see every day! The bright lobby is lovely, with a gorgeous bar buzzing with hotel guests and locals out for a nightcap. With 336 rooms and 60 suites it would be easy to feel like “just a room number”. However, the exceptional service from check-in to housekeeping makes even the shortest reservation seem like a VIP.

The rooms are luxurious and calming in shades of grey, with plenty of suites and connecting rooms for families. A quick peek out the windows offers the perfect reminder of the city waiting for you to explore, with amazing views of the bay and Coit Tower in the distance. Of course, for the best views you’ll want to check out the Ritz-Carlton Suite. With a prime location on the 9th floor, the large living spaces and dining room offer sweeping San Francisco vistas. Whether you book a presidential suite or an entry level room, every room is spacious with a decadent marble bathroom (and double sinks to avoid any quibbles with travel companions).

While all of the rooms are lovely, the real treat comes when you book a room on the Club Floor. Consider these rooms a hotel-within-the-hotel, with a dedicated concierge team to meet your every need (and then some). Grab drinks at the lounge bar and satisfy even the largest appetite with the four food presentations during the day. However, I recommend saving some room for the incredible San Francisco food scene. Additionally, if your morning requires a caffeine jolt, Club Level guests can indulge in a complimentary coffee wake up call. Yes please!

River Oaks Travel Extras

  • Upgrade to next room category (excluding Club Lounge), if available and at the time of check-in
  • An American Breakfast Credit for two daily, up to $64 including tax (Including Parallel 37 or In-Room Dining)
  • $100 Food & Beverage Credit
  • Early check-in, late check-out, subject to availability

Reserve your stay at The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

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Planning your own trip to the Golden Gate City and want to know if The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco is a good fit? Want advice on the best restaurants and attractions to see? Contact us or make an appointment with our Houston travel agency to get started!

The K Club Hotel

Hotel Snapshot

The K Club Hotel – Set amongst hundreds of acres of stunning Irish countryside, this 5-star luxury resort is still just a stone’s throw from Dublin city and the Dublin International Airport. For those travelers looking to experience life on a historic estate, The K Club provides all of the fun without any of the hassle.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The main house dates back to the 1830s and the original charm and details have been preserved – even through modern updates.
  • Whether you are looking for an adventure weekend or a spa getaway, The K Club can deliver. With two golf courses on the grounds (one of which previously hosted the Ryder Cup) and multiple activities available – think archery, falconry, horse riding, and whiskey tastings – suffice it to say that you won’t be bored!
  • The hotel’s local pub, The Straffan Arms, is only a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute shuttle ride away and offers not only a great pint of Guinness and delicious Irish fare, but also has live local music regularly.

As Experienced by Travel Advisor Kate Lawless

When we pulled up to The K Club’s front gates, I was not prepared for what we would find. Who would have thought that a massive manor home hotel situated on 500+ acres of landscaped gardens and fairways would be so closely accessible to the city?!

We pulled through the ornate iron gates and wended our way through the forest, following the estate’s original stone wall for much of the five-minute trip. As we turned the final corner and the full layout of the renowned golf course and the resort came into view, every expectation that I didn’t know I had was met and exceeded. These expectations were then extended even further by the service of the resort staff. We were greeted at the door to our SUV with umbrellas, escorted inside, seated before a roaring fire with a cup of hot tea and presented with the keys to our rooms. By the time we thought to look for our bags, they were already in our rooms and halfway unpacked into the multiple storage spaces in our room. Fruit Cocktail es el juego que combina lo mejor de las frutas y las grandes recompensas. Cada giro te ofrece la posibilidad de ganar grandes premios, y las bonificaciones te ayudan a multiplicar tus ganancias. Con un diseño colorido y vibrante, este juego es perfecto para disfrutar de una experiencia llena de emoción. No esperes más, visita https://fruitcocktailslot.mx/ y empieza a jugar ahora mismo.

Throughout the public spaces of the resort you can feel the weight of the history that the original home has stood through. Whether you are enjoying afternoon tea in the Yeats Sitting Room or wandering past the main stairway (with a banner perfect for sliding down!), it’s easy to imagine the generations of people who have wandered the same halls. With this much age in one space, it would be easy for The K Club to feel dowdy, but everything feels fresh and modern while remaining true to the period of the property.

Keeping with this theme of modernity that is respectful to history, the guest rooms throughout the resort feel bright and comfortable with all the modern amenities but have heritage fabrics, wallpapers and décor. The K Club also did a wonderful job fitting guest suites into the nooks and crannies that are inherent in a historic home. Many of the rooms are in the old attic spaces and have slanted ceilings and multiple corners but these spaces have been reclaimed to create charming useable spaces (my room had peaked dormer windows with window seats overlooking the river). Each room is equipped with all the modern amenities that you would expect from a five-star resort including espresso machines, American style plugs, plush robes and slippers, spacious spa-like bathrooms and stunning views of the property.

The best part about The K Club is that while the hotel is stunning and the staff are amazing, the spaces inside the walls are only the beginning. A few steps out the front door will find you in the middle of a sculpted garden, on the fairways of the Ryder Cup golf course, strolling into the wellness focused spa or wandering alongside the Liffey river that winds its way through the property. Add to this the activities that are available such as archery, falconry, horseback riding, fly fishing (fun fact: the river behind the property is where Tiger Woods learned to fly fish), and art and history tours of the property, and it becomes clear that there is something to satisfy everyone here.

Advisor Tip

The original wine cellar for the property was recently discovered and preserved. It is now used for candlelit (there’s no electricity!) wine tastings on request and is a wonderful place to start off a romantic dinner!

If you prefer a good cocktail to a glass of wine, head to the Vintage Crop cocktail bar and request the off-menu Rhubarb Gin and Tonic. The gin for this cocktail is distilled on site and it’s a very refreshing way to end a long day exploring the grounds!

River Oaks Travel Extras

  • Upgrade at time of booking, subject to availability, once reserving a Deluxe Room or higher
  • Full Irish Breakfast served via room service
  • Waive €50.00 Resort Fee
  • Choice of 2 of the following activities per room:
    • Art & History Tour
    • Wine Cellar Tour
    • A Drive to the Local Pub in Resort Jaguar and a ‘Pull your Own Pint’ Experience
    • Irish Coffee Making Demonstration
    • Whiskey Tasting

Reserve your stay at The K Club, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

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Planning your own trip to Ireland and want to know if The K Club is a good fit?

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Great Barrier Reef Resort: qualia

Hotel Snapshot

qualia is simply stunning and the perfect luxury Australia resort near the Great Barrier Reef for someone looking for an adventurous and romantic anniversary or honeymoon destination. This Hamilton Island hotel offers 60 individual pavilions designed for guest privacy.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Enjoy seclusion and serenity in a breathtaking setting in the Whitsunday Islands
  • Stay relaxed with complimentary daily yoga and an incredible spa
  • Explore the island with your own golf cart, included with each pavilion
  • Arrive easily with direct flights from Australia’s major cities like Sydney and Melbourne

As Experienced by River Oaks Travelers

From the moment you arrive, it is easy to see why qualia is consistently rated one of the top resorts in Australia. This luxury Great Barrier Reef resort is a special place that is designed to relax and spoil guests. Additionally, you cannot beat the prime location nestled on Hamilton Island. The staff is sincere and warm, always exceeding expectations and providing signature experiences from arrival to departure.

Despite its remote location, qualia pulls out all the stops. I almost hate to call the accommodations “rooms”, as guests enjoy a spacious villa with features like open-air lounges, infinity plunge pools, and sun-soaked decks. Regardless of category, all have turquoise water views of the Coral Sea.

While the luxury resort itself is stunning, the biggest draw is the close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. My favorite recommendation is to arrange a helicopter transfer to go snorkeling – I love the fact that you can go from the resort to the reef in just fifteen minutes! In addition, you also get to see the Heart Reef which is only visible from the sky.

River Oaks Travel Extras

  • Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability to a premium positioned Pavilion, within the same Pavilion category type
  • Full breakfast daily, for up to two guests
  • Colors of Sunset Cruise – includes a tour of the Whitsundays for 1 & 1/2 hours on a luxury cruiser including canapés and selected alcoholic beverages for two adults, OR a Talk & Taste Experience

Reserve your stay at qualia, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

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Are you planning a stay at qualia?

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Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam

Hotel Snapshot

With a prime location in the Museum Quarter, the luxury Amsterdam hotel Conservatorium offers the perfect base for exploring Amsterdam. Luxury hotel aficionados will love the combination of landmark heritage and forward-thinking design, with a mix of soaring 19th-century architecture and modern glass interiors.

Why You’ll Love It

  • An unbeatable location, adjacent to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museums
  • The hotel’s Tunes Bar offers some of the best Gin and Tonics in Amsterdam
  • As a historic building, every room is unique and many are duplex-style

As Experienced by Travel Advisor Samantha Collum

There’s nothing like arriving to a beautiful new hotel after a long day of travel. Entering the luxury Amsterdam hotel Conservatorium is like walking into a (tastefully designed) dream. First, staff sweep your luggage away as soon as you exit your taxi. Then the doors open automatically to a brightly lit lobby featuring an old-meets-new design: original brick walls and stained glass windows mixed with cheeky art and modern glass. The lobby lounge feels more like a chic living room, with musicians playing almost nightly and tying in to the hotel’s music conservatory background.

The sense of arrival continues in the contemporary-styled rooms, with the historic nature of the building making each one unique. Notably, the “I Love Amsterdam” suite with its rooftop terrace offers a real “wow factor”. Many of the guest rooms are laid out as duplexes, offering a decadent “splurge” feeling without the higher pricetag of a signature suite. However, my favorites are on the top floor with their high ceilings, wooden beams, and views over the city. No matter the category, all rooms are thoughtfully-designed with touches like espresso machines, complimentary smartphones, and spa-like bathrooms.

Above all, my favorite aspect of the hotel is the service. From the front desk team to the housekeeping staff, every interaction is attentive but unobtrusive, exactly what I expect and love on vacation. The concierges are quick to assist with hard-to-obtain and unique reservations (like the secret bar The Butcher). I recommend asking them for a complimentary bike and map to explore Amsterdam like a local.

Last, but certainly not least, is the incredible spa. Weary travelers will love the 1000 sqm Akasha Spa, with its private Hammam, pool, treatment rooms, and the best equipped gym in Amsterdam. Not to mention, the yoga and pilates classes offered definitely come in handy after indulging in too many courses at Taiko Restaurant!
River Oaks Travel Extras

  • Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  • Full breakfast daily, for up to two guests, in restaurant
  • $100 USD Hotel credit to be utilized during stay

Reserve your stay at the Conservatorium Amsterdam, backed by your River Oaks Travel Advisor:

Want more help?

Planning your own trip to Amsterdam and not sure if the Conservatorium is the right fit for you?

Need assistance with organizing your itinerary and arranging sightseeing? Looking for a Houston travel agency? Contact us or make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable advisors to get started!