Staying in a jungle lodge with no electricity probably isn’t at the top of anyone’s list of ideas for luxury travel, but a visit to El Monte Sustainable Lodge in Ecuador is a rare treat away from the stresses that come with an electrified life. While there’s no electricity at the lodge complex, individual propane…
If you find yourself in Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest and arguably most charming city, stay at the chic new Casa Ordoñez. This boutique hotel opened on September 19 in a beautifully renovated mansion. The home has been in owner Alberto Ordoñez’s family since 1906 and his connection to and care for the property is apparent…
Brownie the Rabbit lives! I was astounded to find that Brownie, the big black rabbit who acts as unofficial mascot at Hostal de la Rabida in Quito, Ecuador, was still alive five years after my last visit to the quaint, comfortable pensionne and eight years after I first met the friendly pet. Brownie lives in…
A dusky green sea turtle the size of a manhole cover stared up at me with shiny gold-toned eyes… made of toffee. Walking into my cabin on the Athala II luxury catamaran touring the Galapagos Islands for eight days was always a treat. Martin, the cabin attendant, folded the fluffy towels with origami precision. A…
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ve all had our share of spooky moments while on the road. Some were actual threats of death. Some were merely amusing in hindsight. Here is the first in a series of articles from our contributors. Clare O’Donoghue shares these… It’s always the quiet ones… Back in my on-a-shoestring days, I was working…