IWe were staying at the scrumptious Aquapura Hotel in Portugal’s dreamy Douro Valley when Barack Obama was inaugurated as America’s president. Even in the misty cosseting comforts of serene spa-meets-delectable-Zen-honed-style, time stood still. Facials paused, the sensational pool languished without a ripple, while room service was frantically busy - fulfilling tea and home-baked biscuit requests. North America was the focus of attention around the world at midday EST on Tuesday the 20th of January 2009; the prospect of positive change spilled out across nations far and wide, filling populations with a renewed sense of hope.
So with people willing to dream again, it seemed a good idea to focus our attention on providing you with six trips in and around North America. Travel writer Jennifer Hochman-Hamm lived it up in L.A.; film producer Lene Bauseger luxe-trotted from New York to Miami; LE member and insatiable globe-trotter, Andrew Kenny, enjoyed a long weekend in San Francisco; while pregnant-me dreamed of stays at two sensational Amanresorts - Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos (only an hour and a half from Miami) and Amangani near Jackson Hole, in wild Wyoming.

Sophie Marchant
Luxury Explorer’s Travel Editor
www.luxuryexplorer.com