Casa Palermo’s Courtyard Suite
Photo Courtesy of Casa Palermo
Spring is on the horizon and it’s time to come out of hibernation mode. With our round-up of travel-worthy events around the map, you can plan the perfect getaway for thawing this month. From a food festival in sunny central California to a glam art fair in Hong Kong, here are a few hot spots for March.
Pebble Beach, California
Back for its ninth year is the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival (March 31 through April 3). Over four days, 250 wineries and 100 celebrity chefs will team up to host wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, lunches, dinners and delicious sounding parties (The Meatball Shop samples at midnight? Yes, please!). Right in Pebble Beach, offering easy access to all of the festival’s events, is a smorgasbord of Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotels — the 253-room The Inn at Spanish Bay, 160-room The Lodge at Pebble Beach and boutique Casa Palermo with 24 rooms.
Blackberry Farm, Photo Courtesy of Blackberry Farm
Knoxville
Four-Star Blackberry Farm is a charming 11-suite inn just 45 minutes outside of Knoxville. The 1870s farmhouse-turned-hotel is revered around the globe for its commitment to local cultivation and the practices of growing as much cheese, eggs, vegetables, honey and fruit on site as possible. On March 6 to 9, the tradition continues when hospitality pioneer Martha Stewart, Thomas Joseph (Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s director of food development), Sara Carey (editorial director) and Frederick Corriher (Frederick Corriher Wine founder) hold demonstrations, participate in presentations and sit down for intimate meals with guests.
Las Vegas
Classic film devotees, this one’s for you: Sophia Loren is coming to The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino on March 26 for a once-in-a-lifetime evening of Hollywood memories. The Italian-inspired Four-Star property is a fitting venue for the Rome-born actress whose stack of accolades includes an Academy Award and a Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement honor from the Golden Globes. Loren has been lauded for her glamour and charm and, for one enchanting evening, she’ll share some of her scintillating stories.
Art Basel Hong Kong, Photo Courtesy of Art Basel Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Art Basel (March 24 through 26) brings to Hong Kong contemporary work by more than 4,000 artists from 239 galleries worldwide. Five-Star Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is a regional icon, so it’s only fitting that the classic address serves as the official Art Basel hotel. From March 19 to 29, the hotel commemorates the partnership with the Art Stay package. In addition to a room, breakfast and welcome champagne, the deal also includes two passes that net guests access to the collectors’ lounge, entrance to the Vernissage and unlimited admission to the exhibitions.
Baltimore
When March comes to a close, Baltimore will just start brightening up. Light City (March 28 to April 3) is the U.S.’s first large-scale international light festival. Huge light-art installations, dance and musical performances, and conferences on innovation will illuminate the schedule. We can’t say for certain that you’ll be able to see English artists Aether and Hemera’s Voyage — 300 paper boats lit from within by colorful LED lights floating in the Inner Harbor — from your suite at Four-Star Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, but we assure you the installation is worth a look.
