December 2017 Hideaway Report

FROM THE EDITOR: I have long struggled to find a hotel in Portland, Oregon, of the Harper standard, and on a recent trip I had no better luck. Fortunately, my visit to coastal Washington proved more fruitful. There we discovered scenic towns and three delightful hotels. They may not all have been full-service properties, but what they lacked in amenities they made up for in views. This issue also contains an account of a road trip through England's North Country. Read more from our editor-in-chief...

Articles

Exploring England’s North Country

On this trip to England, our editor begins his journey in York and continues through Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Lake District, ending in Edinburgh.

Visiting Hadrian’s Wall

At 73 miles long, Hadrian's Wall is the largest Roman structure in existence. The sight offers clues about those who built it more 2,000 years ago.

The Epic Grandeur of Castle Howard

With 145 rooms, Castle Howard is one of England's largest stately homes and exceeds all others in terms of grandeur.

The Best of Coastal Washington

The archipelagos between Seattle and Victoria, Canada, are relentlessly picturesque, replete with scenic parks, colorful coastal towns and world-class food.

Portland Hotels Strike Out

Portland provides a wealth of attractions: an exciting food scene, gardens, wineries and boutiques, but the hotels don't make the cut.

Seattle Restaurants With a View

With a hilly topography and a coastal setting, Seattle has numerous restaurants offering memorable views. Here are two we tried on our last visit.

Portland Wineries: Top-Quality Tastings Within the City

It's not necessary to make a day trip to the Willamette Valley in order to visit quality wineries. Several worthwhile outfits have facilities within Portland.

Portland Food Truck Tour

Nowadays, food trucks earn Michelin stars and draw devoted followings. Eat Adventures Food Tours helped us navigate the scene in Portland.

Portland Restaurant Discoveries

One of the great draws of Portland is its cuisine, whether from a gourmet food truck or a Michelin star-quality restaurant. Here are five places we recommend.

Three Exquisite Portland Gardens

Three of the finest gardens in the Pacific Northwest grow within a 15-minute drive of the skyscrapers of downtown Portland.

5 Favorite Island Parks of Puget Sound

The islands in Washington's Salish Sea are blessed with scenic parks and nature reserves. Here are my favorite five parks, in order from south to north.

Indelible Memory: Kayaking the Salish Sea

To get an up-close view of orcas, we booked a full-day kayaking excursion with Discovery Sea Kayaks along the coast of San Juan Island.

Seattle Craft Breweries Take Flight

Seattle has no shortage of stylish, lively taprooms and thoroughly delicious, character-filled craft beers. Here are six breweries we tried on our last visit.

Portland's Bullseye Projects: An Art-Glass Gallery

Portland's Pearl District is home to several impressive art galleries. Of these, my favorite was art-glass gallery Bullseye Projects.

Tuscan Retreat Castiglion del Bosco Expands

The exceptionally glamorous 23-suite Tuscan resort Castiglion del Bosco will now be augmented by the five-bedroom addition of Villa Agresto.

Aman Comes to Manhattan

The original Aman properties were small, exquisite retreats in Asia. Lately, however, the group has expanded to city hotels.

Newly Recommended Hotels in England

The December Hideaway Report follows Andrew Harper’s travels to England, where he finds two new hotels: Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa and Lord Crewe Arms.

Newly Recommended Hotels in the Pacific Northwest

The December 2017 Hideaway Report follows Andrew Harper’s travels to the Pacific Northwest, where he finds three hotels to recommend.

Letter From the Editor: December 2017

The Andrew Harper editor-in-chief reflects on this month's travels to Portland, Seattle and Whidbey Island, and a road trip in England’s North Country.

Yorkshire’s Top 5 Gastropubs

In England, almost every street corner once had a pub. Though many didn't survive a changing culture, Yorkshire now has more than its fair share of gastropubs.

Indelible Memory: Wordsworth’s Suitcase

Finding kinship with William Wordsworth through a visit to Dove Cottage, in Grasmere, England, where the poet lived for eight years.

Cambridge's Oldest Hotel Restored

While not as pretty as Cambridge, Oxford had one thing Cambridge did not: a Harper-recommended hotel. That may soon change.