Here, you'll read about some interesting places that Hideaways staff and "ambassadors" have experienced, or at least checked out, in their world wanderings. These may not always fit the profile for lodgings in The Hideaways Collection^®, but they certainly are worth knowing about, and we think you'll enjoy the insight.

If you think you know Europe--whether you've traveled there once in your life oronce every year--you might think again. There are all sorts of ways to experience Europe as an "insider," not as a tourist or even a repeat visitor, so you can have an especially unique and meaningful vacation the next time you visit this endlessly fascinating, culture-filled, ever-evolving part of the world.

When I learned I had to attend a tradeshow in South Beach, Miami--"SoBe" to the hip--my first thought was "been there, done that," followed quickly by, "Oh no, will I have to join my compadres and partake in one of those trendy Margaronas (that's a huge frozen margarita topped with two upside-down bottles of Corona beer) at one of those outrageous bars on traffic-jammed Ocean Drive?"

Right from the beginning, the question my husband Bob and I faced was where to take our teenage children to have their first taste of Europe. But then, there really was only one logical choice, since both our kids have been studying Spanish from a fairly young age--Espagne!