|

Hotel Explora, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile is a twisted mass of monoliths and hoodoos that rise sharply from the dry Patagonian steppe, a stunning glacial landscape where guanacos (orange and white-colored members of the llama family), rheas (ostriches), and flamingos congregate near watering holes. This is where Town & Country Magazine sent me to check out the luxurious, yet intimate Hotel Explora. Its superior location is apparent upon entering the lobby. The resort has vistas of the park’s most dramatic formation, The Horns, a block of sweeping granite that pierces the clouds.  Almost all of the hotel’s thirty rooms, even the whirlpool-adorned bathrooms, afford the same mind-blowing view.
 

Similar Posts

Snow in Love at New Hampshire’s Glen House

Glen House in the White MountainsIf you’re looking for a quick escape to snow country, consider a night or two at the Glen House, the 68-room resort at the base of New England’s largest peak, Mt. Washington. Drop your bags off in the room and then head next door to the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center to go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking, or snow tubing down a short hill. Across from The Glen House is the departure point for the Mt. Washington Snow Coach, which travels four and a half miles up the snow-covered Auto Road to the 6,288-foot peak. For downhill skiers, take the quick drive over to Attitash or Wildcat. Through April 17, the Glen House is offering a Snow in Love package that features standard guest room, two welcome cocktails, and dessert for two. A 3-hour drive from Boston, the property is ideally suited for a much-needed getaway. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll check availability.

|

Westport Rivers Vineyard Announces Their Sunset Music Series

An hour south of Boston, you reach the southern shores of Massachusetts and the seaside town of Westport. It’s one of my favorite places to bike, where the farmland meets the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also home to Horseneck Beach and the popular restaurant, Back Eddy, where we held the closing night party for the film my brother, Jim and I wrote, Passionada. Another highlight is Westport Rivers Vineyards, rated one of the best wines in New England. On Friday nights in summer, bring your blanket, chairs, and bug spray and listen to live music from 6 to 8 pm at their Sunset Music Series. Enjoy dining from the Rhode Rage food truck and Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms while sipping one of Westport’s award-winning sparkling wines. Local craft brews are also served. It’s a great way to end your day at the beach, but make sure to reserve tickets in advance. 

 
|

VBT Offering New Walking Vacations in America’s National Parks

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about how Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the people who run all of America’s national park lodges acquired Austin-Lehman Adventures, now called Austin Adventures. A year prior, Xanterra purchased VBT Walking and Bicycling Vacations. Now we’re beginning to see the results of that acquisition. VBT has just announced that they will be offering walking tours at 5 American national parks in 2014, the first time they have offered walking vacations in the States. Travelers can explore the Grand Canyon, Zion, Grand Teton and Yellowstone while staying in lodges right in the heart of the parks. Vermont-based VBT is also launching a walking vacation closer to their headquarters in Acadia National Park. Walks include one of my personal favorites, Zion’s Narrows, where you walk in the Virgin River through a 1,000-foot-high slot canyon that’s a mere 20 feet wide at times. If you can’t wait until next summer, VBT will offer a 6-day cross-country skiing jaunt in Yellowstone this coming January and February, the most serene time of year to visit the park. Add several nights after the trip to ski downhill at nearby Big Sky. 

 
|

The New Cape Pogue Cottage is Perfect for Large Families on the Vineyard

My favorite resort on Martha’s Vineyard just got a little bit better. The Winnetu Oceanside Resort has just unveiled The Cape Pogue Cottage, ideal for a large family gathering or Girl’s Getaway. The 2BR/2Bath cottage sleeps seven with a wooden four-poster king canopy bed that anchors the master suite, a separate second bedroom with two twin beds, a pullout twin, and a pullout sofa. As you would expect from a lodging that’s only a short stroll from glorious South Beach, the cottage and its neutral colors gives off a coastal vibe. Expect a full kitchen, private ocean view roof deck, and hot tub. We’ve been to the Winnetu three times with our kids and I can honestly say it’s the perfect summer getaway on the New England coast or islands. Combine it with the owner’s other property, The Nantucket Hotel, and you’ll have a memorable weeklong vacation this summer. 

 
|

Madeira, a Great Active Winter Getaway

I recently attended an event sponsored by Belmond Resorts in Boston and was intrigued by their property on the island of Madeira, Belmond Reid’s Palace. While we book many vacations to Portugal and the Azores, Madeira is still off the radar for most Americans. Closer to North Africa than Europe, (540 miles from Lisbon, but only 360 miles from Morocco), the average temperatures in January are in the high 60s, ideal for active travelers. Perhaps best known for its wine and as the birthplace of soccer legend Christian Ronaldo, the volcanic island is also home to jagged peaks and lush valleys that are laced with hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Summer is the high season, when many cruise ships visit the island, with their thousands of passengers. But head to Madeira now and you have the place to yourself, much like the Azores this time of year. 

 
|

Ski the Alps

I had lunch yesterday with 12 ski resorts from the Swiss, French, Italian, German, and Austrian Alps. Travel to the Alps from America was up a whopping 50 percent this past summer and 30 percent last winter. Americans, especially from the East Coast, are finally realizing that you don’t have to be a Rockefeller to ski the region. On average, lift tickets are $50-$60 per day, far less than Stowe or Vail. Yes, you can splurge on some grand hotel at St. Moritz, but there are also many affordable pensions around town. And not all the ski areas are as challenging as Chamonix. Remember, you’re not skiing down the Matterhorn. You’re looking up at the Matterhorn as you ski the base area in Zermatt, a far less threatening proposition with a vast amount of intermediate and novice terrain. The trails are long, relaxed, and thankfully in the past decade, groomed with snowmaking capabilities. Best of all, you’re in Europe, dining on exceptional food and savoring the culture. One day you can be in Kitzbühel, downing large mugs of beer, the next day enjoying a glass of Bordeaux and exceptional French food in Megève. Cortina, in the Italian Dolomites, is only a two-hour drive from Venice, so you can combine Carnevale in February with several nights of skiing. Overseas flights are also much more reasonable in the winter months. So grab those skies and fondue forks and hit the Alps this winter.
 

One Comment

Leave a Reply