PERU PERFECTION: Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel

Arriving to eleven thousand feet in elevation during a Cusco winter requires certain indulgences: oxygen-infused air, heated floors, relaxing spa treatments, late mornings and long afternoon naps.

Lodgings are scattered up and down the steep streets of the ancient Inca city. But we selected the 43-room Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel, stylishly converted from a 16^th century mansion, as much for its modern conveniences –oxygen-enriched rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi,and heated flooring–as its sophisticated aesthetic and ideal downtown address.

Like many visitors headed to Machu Picchu, we were spending a few days in Cusco to acclimatize before setting off for a walking tour of the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and the mythical Inca citadel. Boasting spacious bedrooms, luxuriant bathrooms, and a museum worthy art collection, the Aranwa (a Quechua word for Story or Legend) sits at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage city, just two blocks off the Plaza de Aramas, providing a superb base from which to explore the Inca’s holiest city.

Click to read more ...

GREEN DREAM: Jicaro Island Ecolodge, Granada, Nicaragua

There are a few places so special, so unique, so dreamy that I can’t help but recommend them to everyone and anyone: Jicaro Island Ecolodge, a tropical private island hideaway in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, is one of those places.

It’s been a few months since we left Nicaragua behind for continued travel in Latin America and extended stays in Ecuador and, now, Peru. Yet I frequently find my thoughts traveling back to our time at Jicaro - awakening to the roar of howler monkeys, morning cups of coffee enjoyed on our casita’s private deck, daily massages at the lakeside spa, sunset paddles in the shadow of sleeping Volcán Mambacho, and delicious meals of innovative organic Nicaraguan cuisine.  

 

What makes Jicaro so special? That’s easy…

Click to read more ...

HOTEL LIVING: Granada, Nicaragua

“How long are you staying?” 

It’s a common question among hotel guests in foreign lands. 

“Three months,” however, is not a common response. 

We fielded this question often during our recent three-month stay at Hotel la Bocona, the intimate six guest room boutique hotel in Granada, Nicaragua, we called home this winter.

Hotel living wasn’t the original plan, but when finding a vacation rental got complicated, we decided to get creative. Even for gypsy travelers like us, though, committing to an extended hotel stay, sight unseen, was a bit of a leap. 

We liked the fact that the hotel was set in a private beautifully restored colonial mansion and that half our room rate would go towards the support of a local educational and charitable organization. We liked that it was situated two blocks off Granada’s bustling Central Park in one of the city’s most historic and fashionable residential neighborhoods, putting the city at our doorstep. And, we liked that the room was a palatial 1,400 square-feet with soaring ceilings, hand-painted tile floors and two king sized beds.

Truth told, however, beyond a few pretty pictures and details gleaned through emails with hotel director, Nadene Holmes, we were riding on intuition – which told us it was a fit.

But, from the moment we stepped foot inside, we were hooked. Our instincts were spot on. Never once in three months did we wish we’d chosen differently. In fact, we couldn’t have felt more at home.

Click to read more ...

THE SOUND OF SILENCE: Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Eco-Spa, Nicaragua.

Exploding fireworks. Tolling bells. High volume music. Tooting car horns. Sound is omnipresent in Latin America; the vibrant soundtrack of every day life. But from the cozy sling of a hammock on the veranda of a private casita at Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa, it felt as if Nicaragua had gone silent.

It was early December, mid-way through a three-month stay in the nearby Colonial city of Granada where the town had been rocking for days in boisterous preparation of the upcoming Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebration. At the Hacienda, however, perched atop a remote hillside with unimpeded views of tangled jungle, smoldering volcano and glistening lake, there wasn’t even a whiff of noise on the balmy breeze. As if to make the point, soundless butterflies the size of dessert plates fluttered about the resort gardens.

Click to read more ...

NAVIGATING NATURE: Mexico Yacht Cruise

A movie trailer of experiences – snorkeling with rollicking sea lions, hiking among giant cacti, photographing leaping dolphins, and whales so close you can hear them breathe– replays often in my mind’s eye as high-definition and heart-pounding as any Hollywood production.  

It’s been months since our yacht adventure in Mexico’s nature-rich Sea of Cortés, but the mind-movies surface often– triggered by conversation, photographs, or the sheer joy of conjuring up images of one of our planet’s most amazing places.  

There’s something soul-soothing about a vacation where Mother Nature takes center stage. Where, amidst the wind, clouds, sunrises and unrestrained land and seascapes, the daily drama and media headlines take a backseat to wonder and awe. American Safari Cruises’ voyage through one of the world’s richest marine environments brings Nature up-close-and-personal.

Click to read more ...

PAMPERED PASSENGER: Hacienda Hopping in Ecuador

Discover the Pampered Side of Ecuador At Exclusive Haciendas

World-class spas. Healing hot springs. Glamorous hacienda accommodations. Just because you’re eager to discover Ecuador’s rich and colorful past, doesn’t mean you have to forfeit contemporary service, cuisine and comfort. Well, that’s what Judy Carvalhal, founder of Ecuador travel outfitter, Enchanted Expeditions, believes.

Luxury travelers can now discover the Pampered Side of Ecuador on Enchanted Expeditions’ new hacienda hopping package. 

Click to read more ...

MEXICO HIDEAWAY: Costa Baja Resort & Spa

Just outside La Paz, Mexico, Costa Baja Resort & Spa has upped the luxury ante in a region of Baja California still delightfully undiscovered.

Costa Baja Resort. ©Ellen Barone.I’d been running full throttle for months when my husband, Hank, and I booked a pre-cruise stay at Costa Baja Resort & Spa in La Paz, Mexico. Somewhere between preparations for a year (or more) of nomadic wandering in Central and South America (more soon!) and looming deadlines, I decided that a pre-adventure respite in a luxurious resort would be the perfect place to kick back for a few days. 

There are many who mock a resort stay (too mainstream, not for serious travelers)…for the very seclusion I was hoping to find. There’s something about exquisite service, tranquility and gracious hospitality that soothes a life-exhausted soul.

Click to read more ...

BEST IN ROMANCE: King Pacific Lodge

Hot on the heels of being voted No. 1 in Canada on the Condé Nast Traveler 2011 Gold List, King Pacific Lodge, A Rosewood Resort, has announced a romantic summer getaway for couples, epitomising the very ‘best of the best’ at this floating wilderness lodge. Their new ‘Treat Them Like Royalty’ romance package celebrates the sublime experiences that King Pacific Lodge is lauded for: an inspirational environment, high-octane adventures and lavish accommodations.

King Pacific LodgeThe adventure begins with arrival by floatplane right to the dock, and continues with a heli-picnic on a private island with white sand beaches, bounded by turquoise waters. Couples are treated to a private dinner, created by a dedicated chef who customizes every dish; an in-room couples massage; and a private wilderness concierge to assist with planning adventures from kayaking to whale watching. Digs for the stay - 1750 sq ft and two floors of luxury - will be the heavenly Princess Royal Suite, with panoramic views of the ocean, the rainforest and the nearby waterfall.

To reinforce the Lodge’s commitment to its world-renown back yard, the Great Bear Rainforest, each couple will receive an exclusive print from the charitable fund ‘Guarding the Gifts,’ in exchange for a donation of $400 made on their behalf by King Pacific Lodge. 

‘Treat Them Like Royalty’ is a three-night package available from $14,745 per couple. King Pacific Lodge operates from June 3rd to September 23rd, 2011. To secure your spot as royalty this summer, or for more information, visit www.kingpacificlodge.com or call (604) 987-5452 or toll-free (888) 592-5464.

About King Pacific Lodge:

King Pacific, A Rosewood Resort is a 17-room floating, luxury, wilderness lodge located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest in Gitga’at territory along the central coast of British Columbia.