Hotel Spotlight: Saguaro Lake Ranch, Arizona
STILL LIFE: Saguaro Lake Ranch and Bulldog Cliffs, Arizona (Alistair Wearmouth)
Saguaro Lake Ranch sits in a tranquil spot just beneath the dam that holds back ten-mile-long Saguaro Lake in central Arizona. Downstream, the Salt River twists beneath the striking Bulldog Cliffs and Goldfield Mountains before flexing some mild Class I muscles on its passage toward the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area. This guest ranch has been run by the same family, the Durands, for four generations, and it shows in the hospitality and homey touches in evidence throughout the riverside property. Guests sleep in simple but comfortable "ranchettes," first built to house the workers who constructed Saguaro Lake's Stewart Mountain Dam between 1928-30. These days, however, you can also count on free property-wide WiFi, hooked up by the current owner's grandkids (but happily no phones or televisions in the rooms). Daytime activities include hiking and horseback riding along the desert trails of Tonto National Forest, kayaking and tubing on the Salt River, or special programs such as art weekends and family reunions. Meals are shared buffet-style in a communal dining room, where you'll feast on homemade treats such as BBQ chicken, biscuits, and fresh-baked cookies. It doesn't get much more relaxing than this.
Saguaro Lake Ranch is located 40 miles east of downtown Phoenix, about an hour by car. Bed and breakfast rates start at $130 for two; the ranch's American Plan includes three meals, plus lodging, and starts at $150 per person, assuming double occupancy. Activities such as trail rides or kayak rentals cost extra. Visit www.saguarolakeranch.com for full details.
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Sweden's ICEHOTEL Celebrates 20 Years
COOL PAD: Exterior walls of the ICEHOTEL, Sweden (Håkan Hjort)
Thirty-nine carefully selected artists have gathered in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, a small village north of the Arctic Circle, to begin construction on this winter's version of the ICEHOTEL. In preparation for the hotel's 20th anniversary, two of these artists, Americans Andre Landeros Michel and Dennis Rolland, will have two and a half weeks to transform their winning "Gotham on Ice" design into an ICEHOTEL suite. Like the rest of the hotel, the room will be constructed solely of snis (snow and ice) and their particular room will reflect inspiration from New York City's skyline, the music of Cole Porter, and memories of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The hotel is under construction during November and December and will open for overnight guests in January. The hotel can remain open to visitors through mid-April before the summer sun begins to melt the world's first and largest hotel made of ice. Accommodations vary at the ICEHOTEL, including 62 guest rooms, one deluxe suite, three group rooms, nine snow rooms, 29 ice rooms, and 20 art suites. A night in a deluxe suite will run you around $1,000 per night. Beyond the hotel's chilly walls, visitors can stay entertained with activities including dog- and reindeer-sledding, snowshoeing, moose tours on horseback, ice driving, and dining under a grandiose starlit display put on by the Northern Lights.
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November 13, 2009
Hotel Spotlight: Ahwahnee, Yosemite
The Great Lounge in Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel (courtesy, Delaware North Companies)
The summer months draw 50 percent of Yosemite National Park's overnight visitor stays; that stat drops to less than three percent once winter rolls round. Concession lodging in the park, like the classic 123-room Ahwahnee Hotel, sees a corresponding drop in visitor nights, with overnight occupancy dropping to about a third of its summer peak throughout the park. And while the Ahwahnee, considered by many to be the country's finest national-park lodging, in one of the country's most beautiful settings, Yosemite Valley, is still relatively full and pricey (rates from as low as $265 per night), the real lure is being able to enjoy the park in its winter glory without the crowds. Go for a snowshoe trek in the glorious shadow of Half Dome, take the kids snowboarding and cross-country skiing at nearby Badger Pass (all-day adult passes only $42), or just curl up with a good book in front of a roaring fire in the lodge's Great Lounge, with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing snow-clad Yosemite Valley.
Browse more of the country's top national park lodges in Away.com's Guide to the World's Best Resorts & Lodges.
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November 03, 2009
CouchSurfing in Cairo
Sunset at the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt (Photodisc/Getty)
Many people go to Cairo to see the pyramids, but getting almost as many visitors is the home of Tarek Taha, CouchSurfing's Cairo Ambassador. (CouchSurfing is a network of travelers creating cultural exchanges by staying with locals.) Tarek got into CouchSurfing in 2007 while road tripping across the U.S. Since returning home he has hosted more than 100 couch surfers (my husband and me now included). During our recent stay, I asked Tarek to tell me about his most memorable hosting experiences.
- 1. Proposal at the Pyramids: A couch surfer from California asked for my help to arrange a candlelit marriage proposal outside the pyramids after dark. We bought hundreds of candles to spell out "Marry Me Jane" in the sand, while my wife hired a horse to deliver the unsuspecting girlfriend. After it was over, it wasn't only Jane who had tears in her eyes, but also my wife, and the horse wrangler.
Continue reading "CouchSurfing in Cairo" »
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October 20, 2009
Hotel Spotlight: Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
Lapa Rios has become a prototype of the successful eco-lodge, set under the verdant canopy of the Costa Rican rainforest and on a lip of land dropping dramatically into the country’s Pacific-side Golfo Dulce. The owners, Minnesota natives John and Karen Lewis, built the retreat in 1993 as a way to save hundreds of acres of rainforest from development. And by all accounts they’ve succeeded beyond even their initial ambitious dreams, crafting a tranquil retreat that comprises 16 thatch-roofed bungalows as well as a sustainable business that serves local community and conservation needs, including a lodge-funded school.
For more of the world's top resorts and lodges, visit Away.com's new guide!
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October 13, 2009
Hotel Spotlight: La Casa Que Canta, Mexico
La Casa Que Canta and Zihuatenejo Bay, Mexico (courtesy, La Casa Que Canta)
Perched on the rocks overlooking Zihuatanejo Bay along Mexico's southwestern Pacific coastline, La Casa Que Canta—literally, the House That Sings—is one of the region's most intimate luxury resorts. Here, a small community of guests is sequestered away in 25 earth-toned, rustic suites that celebrate Mexican folk art through décor distinctive to each. Eleven of the rooms also feature private pools. Pamper yourself in the full-service Clarins spa before a spectacular sunset dinner on the terrace restaurant overlooking the Bay. Need more action with your vacation? Zihuatenejo is one of the country's top sportfishing destinations and is particularly prized for its sailfishing. Twenty minutes away, Ixtapa offers two world-class golf courses: the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed Campo de Golf Ixtapa and the Robert von Hagge-designed Marina Ixtapa Golf Club. The hotel staff also happily recommends snorkeling and scuba tours.
Browse more of the world's top places to stay in Away.com's new Best Resorts & Lodges Guide!
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October 06, 2009
Explore the Mountains of New York
Mohonk Mountain House in the Catskill Mountains region of New York state (courtesy, Mohonk Mountain House)
A mere 90 minutes north of Manhattan is New Paltz, New York, and the Catskill Mountains. Avid adventurers know the area for the "Gunks," one of the most popular rock-climbing destinations in the East. Families venture here in mid- to late October to take in the fall foliage. Start with a walk around Lake Mohonk and then book a room overlooking that same body of water at one of the finest family resorts in the country, the Mohonk Mountain House. Opened in 1869, this sprawling resort has the perfect vantage point from which to savor the changing colors. Not to mention, you get to slow down and appreciate the natural splendor on a hike, horseback ride, or paddle. All meals are included in the full American plan.
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September 08, 2009
Win a Free Eco-Vacation to The Lodge at Chaa Creek in Belize
PARADISE, FOR FREE: The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Belize (courtesy, The Lodge at Chaa Creek)
We've just nominated The Lodge at Chaa Creek in Belize as one of our all-time favorite family resorts. Now here's your chance to discover for yourself why we put it on our must-visit list of the world's best resorts and lodges.
The Lodge at Chaa Creek is currently running a Nature Adventure Sweepstakes [PDF download] to award five lucky winners to the chance to win a free vacation to its award-winning eco-lodge, which is nestled deep in the rainforest of Belize's interior Cayo District. In 300 words or less, tell them why you want to visit Chaa Creek. The contest ends October 30, 2009. If you win, don't forget to send us a postcard!
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August 20, 2009
Guide to the World's Best Resorts & Lodges
Cayo Espanto, a private luxury all-inclusive in Belize (courtesy, Cayo Espanto)
For the past 12 months, I have been neck-deep in one of the toughest assignments a travel editor can expect: Scouring the globe for the world's best destination resorts and lodges. I know, it's a hard job gazing at images of unspoiled, faraway places (like the one above), but I wasn't alone for my journey. We assigned a crack squad of travel writers with clips in publications including National Geographic Adventure, Travel+Leisure, and Lonely Planet to track down the cream of the crop, including their selections for the best family resorts, beach resorts, national park lodges, all-inclusive resorts, and six other distinct travel categories. One year later, with my list of must-visit places in a state of morbid obesity, we're excited to announce the launch of Away.com's new Resorts & Lodges Guide, featuring 200 of the world's ultimate destination-resort experiences. If you're looking for inspiration about where to stay next, this is the place to start.
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August 18, 2009
Budget Accommodations: The New Way to Travel
SWEET DIGS: A Paris apartment for rent (courtesy, HomeAway)
In today’s dire economy, travelers with all types of budgets are looking for ways to trim back on their travel expenses. Even if you usually prefer to bed down in a Four Seasons or a Fairmont, finding cheaper accommodation is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. But just because you’ll no longer find mint chocolates on your pillow doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on comfort and safety. In fact, now’s a great time to try out some alternative approaches to finding vacation lodging, approaches that will not only save you money but that will also offer interesting cultural interactions that your usual hotel accommodations can't match.
Couch Surfing
Ever since couples have been fighting, and friends have crashed after a long night out, there have been couch surfers. The idea is simple: If you have a couch, you've also got a place to host someone for the night. However, fairly recently, couch surfing has extended beyond the friend’s couch to strangers’ homes in foreign countries. According to couchsurfing.org, the purpose of couch surfing is “to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance, and facilitate cultural understanding." It may seem a bit strange—even somewhat scary—at first glance, but travelers have direct access to locals and their knowledge of a destination, and couch surfers and hosts are vetted and vouched for. Even more fabulous, couch surfing is totally free. And in this economy, that’s just too good to pass on.
Continue reading "Budget Accommodations: The New Way to Travel" »
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