Hotels We’re Booking Right Now

Cliff House, Maine We currently have a group of 15 family members at the Cheeca Lodge in the Florida Keys and a couple who flew in from Atlanta with a negative COVID-19 test to stay at the Cliff House in Maine. We recently booked a family vacation at Wequassett Resort and a romantic retreat at Chatham Bars, both in August on Cape Cod. We also designed a 10-day itinerary for a family headed to South and North Dakota in early August and are currently working on a late September 50th birthday celebration in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains at Primland Resort, where you can stay at a luxurious treehouse. If you want to get away this summer or fall for a therapeutic escape from the pandemic and the news (like we recently did for a week on Cape Cod), please let ActiveTravels know.

Depending on where you’re located, we’ll work within the travel restrictions to not only find you a perfect getaway, but lodging that you feel comfortable in, like an isolated private house or cabin. And since we’re part of Virtuoso, we’ll get you those free amenities. At Cliff House, that translates into upgrade upon arrival, daily continental breakfast, and a Cliff House signature “Sea Bag” tote, made from recycled sails and valued at $150. Don’t forget that we design our coveted Dream Day itineraries across North America. So we’re more than happy to create a detailed tailor-made road trip that includes lodging, all activities, recommended guides, restaurants, and scenic routes. This is easily accessible on a phone app we create. As the motto on our website states, “We Help You Get There.”

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Not Your Father’s Holiday Inn

I visited two Holiday Inns in the Cartagena area and was impressed with both properties. At the Holiday Inn Express Cartagena Bocagrande, I met the representative from Colombia Tourism, who noted that the country has had a remarkable surge of travelers, a 28% increase between 2016 and 2017. It’s not surprising when you consider that a room at this new hotel (not like any Holiday Inn I’ve seen in the US) is less than 100 dollars a night including a buffet breakfast, with rooftop pool, and only a 5-minute walk to the beach. Even more impressive was the Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros property just north of the airport. This is a contemporary resort on the beach with outdoor pool, large fitness center, and breakfast buffet. I just looked at the cost for tonight and it’s only $103 US. A 15-minute drive from Old Town on a wide stretch of beach, this is an affordable find. 

 
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Top 5 Eco-Resorts in Central America, Chaa Creek, Belize

Nestled within the lush Belize interior, Chaa Creek is a 365-acre nature preserve that sits atop a hillside of tall mahogany and cedar trees overlooking the Macal River. Open for 31 years, Chaa Creek led the eco-friendly movement in Central America, promoting conservation and low-impact sustainable development long before green was the magic word. They employ local artists to create the furniture in each bungalow and buy produce from local farms to ensure fresh food on the table. Yet, Chaa Creek’s real forte is guiding their guests deep into the jungle. Plan ahead with the resort to go horseback riding through the Mountain Pine Ridge, paddle the Macal River to see the resident colony of toucans, swim under waterfalls, and visit the Mayan ruins at Caracol. Then return to the property and its two dozen bungalows, spa, and an open-air restaurant that serves such dishes as pollo asado and grilled tilapia.  

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Cliff House on the Maine Coast Enters Its Golden Age

I spent the weekend on the Maine coast researching a story for Yankee Magazine on the latest inns and hotels to make their debuts in New England. Our last stop was the Cliff House, a 5-minute drive from Perkins Cove and the Marginal Way in Ogunquit. First opened in 1872, the property is not exactly new, but you would have a hard time recognizing this upscale property now that Destination Hotels has poured millions of dollars into a complete makeover. The resort now takes full advantage of its stunning setting atop a precipitous cliff that drops straight down into the Atlantic. The vista from our room’s balcony was sheer ocean water and the granite-strewn coastline. Walk into the 2-story lobby where floor to ceiling windows offer the same exquisite view and have dinner at Tiller, only to peer down at the pounding surf lit up at night. Phase one of the rebuild is now complete, featuring 132 rooms with a nautical theme (portholes on each door), a new indoor lap pool, spa, and a second casual restaurant, Nubb’s Lobster Shack, all opened in this past month. Construction continues atop the bluff to add an additional 100 rooms by next summer. In the meantime, come spend a night and have dinner at the Cliff House, only 90 minutes up the road from Boston, and you’ll understand why I’m so thrilled that Maine has another world-class resort. 

 
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Costa Rica Highlights, Ending Each Trip at Finca Rosa Blanca

On my last two trips to Costa Rica, I wisely spent the final night at Finca Rosa Blanca. High above the urban buzz of San Jose, Costa Rica, yet only a 25-minute drive from the international airport, Finca Rosa Blanca is a tranquil retreat nestled in the countryside of Heredia. Watch the colorful turquoise-browed motmots play in the centuries-old fig trees as you sip the inn’s organic-grown coffee. Then talk to the owners about everything they do to make the place sustainable. They are one of the few properties to receive five stars, the highest ranking from the country’s green tourism commission, and are asked to train other innkeepers on their environmentally-friendly practices. Local artisans, including painters, cast iron welders, and a local senior citizen center provide the artwork in the suites. The vegetables found in the restaurant’s innovative fare are grown organically in a greenhouse. Large solar panels create the heat in the pool and, instead of chlorine, they use an ionized system that keeps the water clean and clear. The inn also uses some of their profits to help fund the local high school. I love the mix of art, tasty food, and lush environs. It’s the perfect place to spend your final day in the country. 

 

A Staycation at YOTEL Boston

With plans to meet friends in the Seaport district last Saturday night for dinner, and snow on the way, we made the wise move to spend a night at the YOTEL Boston. Smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood’s exponential growth, it’s hard to top the YOTEL’s location, within easy walking distance to all restaurants, bars, movies, and Boston’s contemporary art museum, the ICA. We dropped our bags off in the room, just big enough for a cozy bed, flat screen television, and full bathroom with rainforest shower and view of the Boston harbor. Then we headed across the street to watch 1917 at a wonderful new cinema with deluxe seating and impeccable sound. We had just enough time for a pint of Super Juicy New England IPA at Hopsters, before strolling over in the snow to the new Woods Hill Pier 4 restaurant. Situated in the same spot as Anthony’s Pier 4 restaurant, the only reason to head to this neighborhood before the Seaport became the fashionable zip code to live, the latest incarnation of dining features tasty local seafood and veggies, many grown on the owner/chef’s farm in nearby Concord. We started with small plates of tender scallops and charred broccoli before moving on to a lobster/crab ragu and crispy lamb ribs. The food was perfectly paired with the magical scene outside, snow falling onto a nearby park surrounded by water, and popular with dog walkers and families. We slept well on our comfy mattress that night, woke up to a hot shower, and took a long walk along the harbor waters early Sunday. An ideal getaway, and considerably cheaper than buying a condo in the neighborhood.

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Marrakech is the Hot Destination in 2012

Folks always ask me what’s the hot destination out there, Steve. To which I always answer, wherever the sun’s shining. Lately, however, I’ve been receiving a slew of information about all the new upscale properties opening in Marrakech. If that’s your gauge for what’s hot, then Marrakech might be the place for you next spring. This past June, the Four Seasons opened within easy walking distance of the Medina and across the street from the Menara Gardens. This month, the Taj Palace Marrakech will open, with 161 rooms offering panoramic views of the Atlas Mountains and the palm gardens of Marrakech’s Palmeraie district. Opening early in 2012, Assoufid is an all suite property with pools and a golf course, located 15 minutes outside the city. While the rest of North Africa is in a state of political unrest, Morocco seems to be moving along just swell.
 

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