4 Best Fractional Ownership Properties

You can get an idea with this preview of some of the best fractional ownership properties available through Elite Destination Homes. Read on to learn more about your fractional ownership vacation.

A Few Hidden Gems in Paris

There’s an entire universe of culturally-magnificent attractions in Paris, France, “The City of Lights.” What allures most families to Paris is its unique old-world elegance, charm, and extravagance. Take a well-deserved step back in time this spring with an escape to Paris. Start and finish each day inside one of our luxurious Paris vacation rentals. Elite Destination Homes has three genuinely stunning luxury apartments: Rue du Four, Rue Saints Peres, and Le Triomphe. Huitrerie Régis A trip to Paris is incomplete without a traditional meal inside a trendy oyster bar. Just down the street from our lavish, comfortable 6th arrondissement Paris vacation rentals, you’ll discover arguably the most underrated restaurant in the city: Huitrerie Régis. Indulge in the best locally-sourced oysters in Paris, perfectly paired with a hand-selected regional wine. This tiny, hip oyster bar is gaining a following among locals, but tourists haven’t discovered the allure yet. La Derniere Goutte (The Last Drop) If you’re staying in one of our Left Bank homes, check out this simple yet rewarding gem, La Derniere Goutte, the area’s best liquor store. Browse through hundreds of award-winning bottles of French vino. Then enjoy your purchase inside a historic yet chic vacation rental as [...]

Hunting Down 3 Local Cafés You Must Try in Paris!

A vacation to Paris, France, may end up being the most memorable trip of your lifetime, and with dozens, if not hundreds, of sights to see you’ll want to make every stop, sip, and bite count. Luckily, Elite Destination Homes has spectacular vacation apartment rentals doused in luxury and charm, right in the heart of the greatest city on Earth. To make your vacation with us even more memorable, here are three unmissable local cafés worth every penny. LE PELOTON CAFE A hidden gem if there ever was one, Le Peloton Café lies on a quiet, historic street only 500 feet from the Seine River. This unpretentious, hip café aims at making the best espresso in Paris, and perhaps the tastiest waffles you’ll ever consume. What Le Peloton lacks in posh and capacity, is made up in fresh, quality ingredients, and fast and friendly service. Their flat white coffee will still be on your mind long after you’ve returned home. The first thing you’ll notice when entering this superb café is the rousing aroma of the fresh-made waffles. Indulging in the cheese and ham waffles might be the best decision of your life. Le Peloton is also walking distance from [...]

3 Things to do in Paris in the Wintertime

When thinking about a trip to Paris, France many people imagine the soft breeze of the spring and warm summer air, but one of the hidden gems of Pairs is that vacationing during the wintertime is unbelievable. Not only will you experience a stunning winter wonderland, but you’ll also get to experience the city without as many visitors. Plus, there are still plenty of fun things to do when you book an elite Paris getaway. Here are our top three favorite things to do in Paris when it's cold outside! Ice Skating on the Terrace Paris and winter activities like ice skating go hand and hand, and there are lots of locations to skate. One of the most notable areas is the first-floor terrace of the Eiffel Tower. Featured with lovely winter decor, you can skate here until February 18, 2018. Don’t forget to check out The Cacao Corner where you’ll be able to warm up with tasty beverages such as hot chocolate. Lots of Chocolate! With Valentine’s Day coming up and the month of love, Paris makes for an unbelievably sweet getaway for two, especially when you stop at a cute cafe, pastry shop, or chocolatier. Sipping hot chocolate on [...]

Art & Culture on a European Luxury Vacation

Europe is one of those places where history is embedded in every corner, and France is not an exception. Your Elite Destination Homes retreat would not be the same if you did not immerse yourself within the art and culture while staying in Paris. When you choose to stay at one of our destination homes; Le Triomphe, Rue du Four, or Rue Saints Peres, you will have all that you need to enjoy the sights, sounds, and lifestyle of a Parisian. Below we have listed a few must-see museums to experience the rich traditions and artwork of the past and present during your European luxury vacation. MUSÉE d’ORSAY If you want to get a taste of artwork from late 1800's through early 1900’s, this is the museum for you! You will be enthralled to walk through 60 years of art history from Impressionism all the way to the Pont-Aven School. That means, Van Gogh, Courbet, Manet, and Monet. This beautiful museum is set within its architectural feat, an impressive metal and glass structure which once was an old train station. We recommend that you enjoy a sip of coffee and a treat from their onsite café. Petit Palais This little [...]

Paris by Sail

By John Pollack | Paris John Pollack is an accomplished author and journalist who won the 1995 O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships and was a Presidential Speechwriter for Bill Clinton. Earlier, he worked as a foreign correspondent in Spain, as a field assistant in Antarctica, and as a strolling violinist on Mackinac Island. You can learn more about his adventures in his books The Pun Also Rises and Cork Boat. For those hoping to see Paris by boat, there is no shortage of willing vessels. Most common are the Seine’s long, glass-enclosed tour boats that – glittering with the flash of a thousand cameras – slip through nighttime waters past the ancient towers of Notre Dame. For those with a few more sous in their pockets, luxurious private yachts await at the Arsenal Port La Bastille marina, on the Right Bank, not far from the site of the fearsome prison whose storming came to symbolize the French Revolution. And if a more bohemian experience is what you seek, some of the old houseboats that tie up along the Left Bank will even rent you a bunk for a night, though these colorful barges rarely, if ever, leave their stone quais. [...]

Yoga On the Road: Barcelona, Paris & NYC

By Bill Bisanz | Paris, New York On a recent trip to three of my all-time favorite places I practiced yoga…everywhere. Normally my trips, whether for work or pleasure (this was both), are a departure from my normal routine. For sure travel is meant to be a break from the ordinary but why miss out on the extraordinary parts of the ordinary just because we’re on the road. With this in mind I set out to maintain some of the same practices that help me feel happy and balanced when I’m at home in St. Paul, e.g., yoga, exercise, meditation and food. Yoga was the easiest of these to integrate into the jam-packed days of big-city travel and exploration. Waking up at 6 or 7 and going to bed at mid-night or later and in between meandering around these magnificent urban cathedrals, yoga is a great way to stay balanced while integrating so many new experiences. In Barcelona, I practiced yoga in two studios – Yoga Studio Barcelona (www.yogastudio.es) and Happy Yoga (www.happyyoga.com) both located adjacent to the Placa Universitat about a five minute walk from Placa Catalunya. I would very much recommend both of these studios. For those of [...]

Paris from a “Newbies” point of view

By Laurie Flum | Paris Paris in the spring….I’d heard so much about it; in the movies, from friends…well you know. So when my job sent me to Paris I can admit my slightly introverted personality was a bit anxious about the trip. How would I get around, EUROS instead of dollars? - Hmmm, and what about the language barrier when I’m standing lost in the middle of the city! Well from the moment we met the cab driver things were looking up. His English was excellent and he was so proud of his heritage as he told us all about Paris during the drive from the airport. Paris is LOVELY, from the consistency of the architect, to the beauty of the parks and the cleanliness of the city. The continuity of the cities ebb and flow relax you as you navigate your way through the city. You can walk for miles and never run out of old churches, statues, parks, museums and a never ending list of wonders. There are a lot of stairs and a lot of walking, but then that gives validity to the enormous amounts of food you eat. Foods that are so outrageously rich you [...]

Love, Light & Gastronomical Delight

By Adrienne Clairmont | Paris Paris is, without a doubt, one of the singularly most intoxicating places on earth. Without meaning to you can stumble into the world’s best Pâtisserie or Fromagerie and experience pure bliss with each bite that you take of the macaroon or triple-cream cheese. And of course, unless you are very careful, you will never be able to find that same corner shop again. In my opinion, however, that’s half the fun.  As a lifelong Francophile, and a Parisian at heart, I was the happiest person on earth when the opportunity was presented to me to study abroad in Paris while completing my undergrad. While I was there, I had some of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. Paris is a city best seen on foot, and one of my favorite walks is the famous Champs-Élysées. The glittering strip is home to the best shopping in the world, and beyond that, a window into the different eras of French history. I have always been attracted to the bohemian Paris that gave rise to the impressionist movement, as well as lending inspiration to writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Victor Hugo. One of my favorite things [...]

Running Shoes and Coffee

By Kathryn Lynden There are two things I could not live without. A pair of running shoes and coffee. I have been blessed with the gift of travel, and my absolute favorite thing to do in any new city is to tie on my running shoes and hit the streets. I never quite know where I am going, but that is the beauty of the journey. I let my feet take me wherever they want to go. In Paris, after 7 days of work (did I really just say that?), I kept the 8th day open. I woke up very early, had a large cup of coffee, put on my running shoes and headed out. It was so early the streets were empty, I ran down the middle of the street. I believe the most magical time of day in a city is before it wakes. I encountered real life -- an old man was walking his dog, a few young kids were stumbling home, a shopkeeper was sweeping his sidewalk, I could smell coffee brewing. Nothing was moving fast, except my feet. As I passed Notre Dame, the sun was rising right behind that magnificent church. I wound through [...]

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