Everett Potter's Travel Report

Calypso del Sol, St. John, USVI.

How can I speak the words “Caribbean villa” in these recessionary times? Well, “villa” covers a lot of ground, and in the Caribbean it can mean a cottage, a simple but comfortable house, a very big house, and even those beach side palaces that truly deserve the name “villa.” With a villa, you can take a dip in the pool at midnight or have breakfast and coffee with the songbirds at 5 a.m. You make the schedule, such as it is. And as we enter shoulder season and low season, the prices of a villa go down like low tide.

Read the full story

The Chelsea Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ.

By Shari Hartford

       
The Boardwalk in Atlantic City is not exactly a winter wonderland. On a good day it's peppered with hearty folks out for some sea air intermingling with street-wise locals looking to make a few bucks. But when the winds are howling and the temps are plummeting, everyone is hunkered down at the craps tables.

But not me. I recently spent a tranquil weekend with my BFF at the Chelsea Hotel — the only hotel on the Boardwalk without a casino. This boutique property now boasts a sea spa that is just right for a mid-winter pick-me-up.

Read the full story