Aly Smalls

Great choice for Lisbon first-timers! Excellent location in Lisbon. Literally around the corner was the ‘green street’ area which is 3 blocks of little authentic bars and restaurants that open up in the evening. It’s similar to Pink Street but the better, more authentic hidden gem among locals. We walked everywhere to all the fun neighborhoods and then took the occasional Uber back for only a few euros. Great mini-market 12 steps away for snacks and drinks and pharmacy items. It’s an ‘apart-hotel’ so our suite was fully equipped with a kitchen, washing machine, and 2 balconies since we booked the 2-bedroom. It was so clean, reasonably priced, easy to walk everywhere and we were welcomed with a bottle of wine and goodies!

11/10 Best place to stay in Porto. Perfect location - walkable to everywhere in the old town, yet tucked away on the edge so very quiet at night. Amazing view from our balcony. In fact, it’s next door to a hidden gem viewpoint that people come to watch the sunset (so we had this exact view but from our private balcony). We had a fully equipped room with provisions to cook meals if we wanted - since we were 3 travelers we chose one of the larger rooms - so there are definitely options for couples or families. Tip: my favorite spots nearby were Rooftop Flores - amazing hidden gem garden terrace - great for a drink at sunset! Cantina 32 - super fun vibe with quality Portuguese dishes, mixed with a good variety of meat and seafood options. Great for sharing! And several Fado Show options nearby too!

This is the quietest hotel I've ever slept in! Easy access from the airport (5 minutes to terminals) - and the rooms are ultra modern. You get runway views from your floor to ceiling windows - a very cool experience to watch planes take-off and land. And because it's an airport hotel, every effort for soundproofing was made, and it works - I didn't hear a peep in either 2 nights I stayed here. The onsite restaurant is top-notch for both cocktails and food (try to make it for sushi-night) and there's also a 24/7 shop for little bites and coffee. Even though this hotel is at the airport, I think it's a fantastic option as a 'home-base' for exploring San Francisco. You can easily access BART and be downtown in 30 minutes (no need to worry about parking) and then come back to an ultra quiet hotel in the evening.

The #1 must-do activity if you're visiting Puerto Vallarta. This was the most fantastic day because you get to see where all the clear, turquoise-blue water is! We met our guides at 9:30am who helped us on the bus to Boca. We then started our hike along the coast, stopping at a total of 6 beaches along the way - we stopped to swim, snorkel, snack and buy fresh fruit, coconuts (or beer if you want)! We had a lovely small group so it felt like a true nature hike, & our guides were fantastic at leading the way, telling us interesting stories along the way and took great photos for everyone in the group. The hike can be challenging in some places, but there were children and some elderly folk in our group, so really anyone can do it, just take your time and enjoy!