Uffizi Gallery: Florence’s Greatest Masterpieces, Caravaggio Highlights & Visitor Tips

Uffizi Gallery: Florence’s Greatest Masterpieces, Caravaggio Highlights & Visitor Tips

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If you’re a long time follower of ChiLuxe Travel, you’ll know that we’re on a mission to see every Caravaggio in the world, and have been so inspired by our search, that we’ve started a not-for-profit organization to bring Baroque Art more into the mainstream, making it more accessible through specially curated itineraries, interesting stories, and finding out more about the history of the time period. Obviously, when we were in Florence for a day in July, 2026, we had…

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All Well Chicago Review: Elevated Dining from the Team Behind Oriole

All Well Chicago Review: Elevated Dining from the Team Behind Oriole

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I have been loving the side-gig restaurants to high end Michelin-rated establishments lately, and All Well is no exception. Coming from the folks at two-starred Oriole (probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago- check out my ode to their awesomeness here), All Well is the even more chill (and less expensive) outpost where you can enjoy the incredible artistic vision of Noah Sandoval without having to spend a week’s pay. The prix fixe menu in the dining room is $120 per…

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Swift & Sons Review: The Complete Chicago Steakhouse Experience

Swift & Sons Review: The Complete Chicago Steakhouse Experience

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We’ve dined at Swift & Sons Steakhouse in Chicago on multiple occasions, and it’s about time I posted a review of the place based on all of our experiences. Listed at number 73 on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list, Swift genuinely delivers an authentic Chicago steakhouse experience, without blending in with the rest of the crowd. The restaurant is located in the bustling West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, and occupies a massive corner space. It’s been open now…

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Banyan Tree Mayakoba Review: Stunning Villas, Disappointing Luxury Experience

Banyan Tree Mayakoba Review: Stunning Villas, Disappointing Luxury Experience

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This review has been a long time coming. It’s tough to be inspired to write about average experiences, and even after being somewhat let down, I thought that maybe time would improve my thoughts on this resort. Unfortunately, it hasn’t, and it’s time to finally put my thoughts out into the world about the Banyan Tree Mayakoba resort. We stayed here for our 10th Anniversary trip in February of 2026. The Location Banyan Tree Mayakoba is located about 50 minutes…

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Creepies Chicago Review: Inside the City’s Most Talked-About New Bistro

Creepies Chicago Review: Inside the City’s Most Talked-About New Bistro

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Don’t let the bizarre name fool you, Creepies is anything but… creepy, and once you’ve been here, you’ll feel like you’re in on the inside joke as well. Creepies is the slightly more low-key and brand new French Bistrot-ish offering from the brilliant Anna and David Posey, who have been at the helm of Michelin-starred Elske right next door, for the last ten years. Accolades have been pouring in since opening, and they’re well deserved. We checked out Creepies on…

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Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s Saffron Review: The Standout Dining Experience on Property

Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s Saffron Review: The Standout Dining Experience on Property

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Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers several restaurants on property with extremely varying degrees of quality. Being a Thai company, though, you could bet that their Thai restaurant, Saffron, would be one of the best, and you would easily win that bet. Saffron is Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s signature restaurant, and it is, by far, the best on property. We ate here one evening during our stay in February, 2026, however Saffron also provided the food for our superb Ixchel Lagoon dining experience…

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Is Tomahawk at Banyan Tree Mayakoba Worth It? A Critical Steakhouse Review

Is Tomahawk at Banyan Tree Mayakoba Worth It? A Critical Steakhouse Review

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It’s always a little scary when you decide to check out a steak place at a resort, especially when you are used to absolutely premier steakhouses in your own home town. (See my reviews for Asador Bastian and Bavette’s in case you are looking for an incredible experience in Chicago!) Unfortunately, Tomahawk Open Fire Latin Grill at Banyan Tree Mayakoba severely underperformed to the point where I think they should reconsider their concept. Tomahawk is located, almost like a pop-up,…

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Sands Mayakoba Review: Fresh Seafood, Ocean Views, and the Best Churros

Sands Mayakoba Review: Fresh Seafood, Ocean Views, and the Best Churros

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The Sands Restaurant and Beach Club at Banyan Tree Mayakoba is one of the two places right on the beach where you can enjoy views and delicious food. The other is the Surf Beach Club, which is not open for dinner and is adults only. We ate at the Sands on our first night at Banyan Tree in February of 2026, and it was eerily completely deserted. While strange, it was nice to have a quiet evening to ourselves near…

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Lula Cafe Chicago Review: The Logan Square Original That Still Feels Essential

Lula Cafe Chicago Review: The Logan Square Original That Still Feels Essential

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Back when Lula Cafe opened in 1999, Logan Square was a bit of a ramshackle neighborhood. Long before Logan Square’s exponential growth and gentrification, Lula Cafe started a true Chicago trend that hasn’t let up ever since – cozy and unpretentious neighborhood dining, sourced from local, fresh, and in-season ingredients at a reasonable price. Hundreds of restaurants have tried to capture the magic of Lula Cafe in the last 27 years, and only few have succeeded to have the level…

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Drinks and Mediterranean Bites at Zapote: Rosewood Mayakoba’s Lively Cocktail Bar

Drinks and Mediterranean Bites at Zapote: Rosewood Mayakoba’s Lively Cocktail Bar

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There are four, interconnected although totally distinct, resorts in Mayakoba, Mexico. It is really tough to decide where to stay, and often prices and available deals dictate your choice. We recently stayed at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, which I chose for their super large and private villa offerings, as well as the multitude of different restaurants on the property. A close second option was the Rosewood Mayakoba. One of the reasons I chose not to stay at Rosewood was the spotty…

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