Airports are often considered a necessary evil, with long layovers and delayed flights that reveal few charming features. That is, unless, you happen to have access to an airport lounge. Waiting for a flight isn’t so bad with unlimited caffeine, food and reliable Wi-Fi access, but the following luxury airport lounges offer more than just that. These exclusive spaces put the typical waiting area to shame with high-tech amenities and glamorous surroundings.

Air France’s La Premiere Lounge

With a sparse, minimalist design, Air France’s La Premiere lounge located in Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport is the perfect place to spend a few hours. Red mood lighting at the bar makes travelers feel like they’re in a club rather than an airport, though the lounge also has several setups for both individuals and groups looking to knock a few things off their to-do lists. There are shower rooms offering luxurious Biologique Recherche toiletries and a very private relaxation room with daybeds. 

Worried about having so many options? The lounge’s staff can help by creating a schedule that maximizes on the lounge’s amenities.

Read more at TravelAge West.

For art-lovers, there’s nowhere like Berlin. The German capital is brimming with museums and galleries featuring work from world-famous artists and young up-and-comers from around the globe. If you want to sample some of Berlin’s stellar art scene, these five galleries are a great start.

C/O Berlin
​
With an eye for photography, C/O Berlin is the perfect choice for those looking to view works by luminaries such as Anton Corbijn and Stephen Shore. The gallery was formerly housed in the old royal post office, but is now in the Amerika Haus building, itself an old passport office with a long history predating the Berlin Wall. In addition to its excellently curated collection, C/O Berlin also hosts workshops and education programs. On any given day, there’s something special to see at C/O Berlin. 

Read more at TravelAge West.

TravelAge West’s Explorer magazine hosted a one-hour discussion on the growing adventure travel market with moderator Mary Pat Sullivan, president of Sullivan Marketing Advisors. Adventure experts included in the chat were Casey Hanisko, vice president of marketing and communications for the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA); Deane Motis, director of sales for North America for Hurtigruten; Robin Weber Pollak, president of Journeys International; and Mindy Poder, Executive Editor of TravelAge West, Family Getaways and Explorer magazines. During the discussion, the panel highlighted market trends and advised agents on how to better sell experiential travel.

Below are some of the top insights from the discussion.


Read more at TravelAge West.

When it comes to deciding whether to swim underneath a waterfall, there’s no time for debating — just do it.

That would be my tip for anyone signing up for Vallarta Adventures’ Yelapa & Majahuitas tour. Passengers board a catamaran for an hourlong ride to Majahuitas cove, where they can snorkel and kayak, and then proceed on to Yelapa, a remote fishing village full of charming buildings and a lovely beach and waterfall (under which to take that dip I mentioned). For those longing to leave their resort for a bit, this tour is the perfect choice.

The trip across Banderas Bay is a little long, especially if you tend toward seasickness, but the crew helps while the time away by putting on entertaining skits. There’s also a bar, for those who want to pass the hour that way. Check out the (nonalcoholic) hibiscus tea, my personal favorite. 
​
After we had been cruising for nearly an hour, the catamaran hugged the coastline so that passengers could drink in the emerald jungles and red-roofed houses. The boat pulled up to Los Arcos, two giant stone fixtures jutting out of the sea in the middle of the bay. Towering over the sea like two twin-sized stone behemoths, with seabirds resting along its sides, Los Arcos is something that simply must be seen in person.  

Read more at TravelAge West.