In August ’03 I joined a 15-day Iceland and Greenland tour with Explore Worldwide, the arrangements made through their U.S. contact, Adventure Center (1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryville, CA 94608; phone 800/227-8747, e-mail ex@adventurecenter.com).
This was a very interesting tour. The weather was warmer and drier than I’d expected, and the guide, whose name was Pietro, was well informed.
We stayed at a delightful B&B, the Kerikeri Village Inn (165 Kerikeri Rd., Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, NEW ZEALAND; phone 0064 9 407 4666, fax 0064 9 407 4408, e-mail stay@kerikerivillageinn.com), in early November ’03.
It is run by Peter and Sandrine, who are extremely hospitable and helpful hosts. We enjoyed three days at their comfortable and beautifully decorated home only minutes from the friendly village and a scenic hike from impressive Rainbow Falls.
We spent three weeks in northern ITALY, including the Lake District, Venice and the Cinque Terre, Oct. 3-24, ’03, and would like to recommend two hotels and two restaurants that we think are worth mentioning.
• Albergo Centrale (Via Regina, 39 - 22012 Cernobbio, Como, Italy; phone 011 39 031/511411, fax 011 39 031/341900, e-mail info@albergo-centrale.com), located 50 meters from the lake.
Portofino, the jewel of the Italian Riviera, is a tiny village on the Gulf of Genoa where local fishermen and their families rub shoulders harmoniously with the world’s rich and famous whose million-dollar yachts float at anchor in the picturesque harbor.
The little town with its busy piazzetta that slopes to the water’s edge looks across the bay to the lovely church of San Giorgio and the imposing Castello Brown. High up over the bay, the 5-star Hotel Splendido reigns supreme over the harbor.
We stayed at the Hotel Regence (21 rue Massena, 06000 Nice, FRANCE; phone 011 33 4 9387 7588), located in a pedestrian zone two blocks from Promenade des Anglais, in 1999. It was a good 2-star hotel, with helpful, friendly owners and staff.
In February ’04 we returned to celebrate my husband’s birthday. The hotel has been remodeled and is excellent, with individual thermostats in the rooms, lighting we could read by and heated towel racks in the large bathroom. Rooms with two beds cost €60 ($77) plus tax.
We booked into the Columbia Hotel (95/99 Lancaster Gate, Bayswater, London W2 3NS, ENGLAND; phone +44 [0] 20 7402 0021, fax +44 [0] 20 7706 4691, e-mail columbiahotel@btconnect.com). The location is within walking distance of Paddington Station and three underground lines, and it is on two bus routes. Kensington Gardens is just across the street.
This is a former officers’ club for U.S. forces in London. It is now a 100-room hotel, but they still give a discount to U.S. military personnel, active and retired.
On a July-August ’03 trip to England, we found a very good B&B convenient to Gatwick Airport, Castlelodge Guesthouse (28 Massetts Rd., Horley, Surrey, RH6 7DF, U.K.; e-mail info@castlelodge-guesthouse.co.uk).
They charged £50 (near $94) for the room for one night, and airport transfer was included. The Continental breakfast, available to us before we left for our early flight, was a real spread: juices, coffee, yogurt, fruit, pastries and, of course, cereal.
Orient-Express Hotels is offering the “Orient-Express Private Jet Experience.” Flying out of the U.S. by private jet, travelers can design their own itinerary to any destination or choose from a portfolio of scheduled one-week itineraries to Europe and South America with fine hotels, ground transfers and guided tours.
The aircraft are not restricted to conventional routes or commercial airports and can fly at higher altitudes.
Through Oct. 31, 2007, Laguna hotels in Phuket, Thailand, have a “Golf Unlimited Package” offering unlimited daily rounds at the Laguna Phuket Golf Club; breakfast, and free transport between all six Laguna hotels, the golf club and shopping center.
Per-night prices range from a suite at Allamanda Laguna Phuket for $85 single or $100 double to a villa at the Banyan Tree Phuket for $370 single or $380 double.
