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BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON February 9, 2012

Alaska’s Tenakee Springs

The Island Spirit

The Island Spirit

For cruise travelers looking for waterways off the beaten path, it’s hard to beat Alaska’s Inside Passage. Bays, coves and inlets draw small ships to their shores where time is measured by incoming tides and seasonal shifts.

Waterfront in Tenakee SpringsAmong the small, remote communities found here, Tenakee Springs stands out. Within this peaceful enclave, colorful homes perch on pilings in a single line along the waterfront. Each share a heart-stopping view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and wildlife. Behind the buildings runs the only road through town, an unpaved path for walking and biking.

At the dock we’re greeted by friendly canines who accompany us on our stroll through town. We linger at the Tenakee Hot Springs Lodge, before moving on to the beautifully restored St. Francis Chapel, followed by Snyder’s Mercantile for coffee, pastries and a few mementos of our visit.

I can easily imagine holing up here for a couple of weeks, hiking the nearby trails, kayaking in calm waters, whale-watching, only to cap off the days with good, long soaks in the hot springs.

After catching up on my sleep, I’d browse the stacks at the Dermott O’Toole Memorial Library, borrow a few books, and most certainly start writing my travel memoir. Ahh . . .

Have you cruised Alaska’s Inside Passage, Wanderboomers? If not, what are you waiting for?? If so, what’s your favorite spot?

Filed Under: Activities, Alaska, Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations Tagged With: Alaska, bays, coves, cruise, Cruising, Dermott O'Toole Memorial Library, hiking, hot springs, inlets, Inside Passage, kayaking, small-ship cruises, small-ship cruising, Snyder's Mercantile, St. Francis Chapel, Tenakee Hot Springs Lodge, Tenakee Springs, the Island Spirit, whale-watching, whales, wildlife

BY Nancy Mueller 10 Comments ON December 27, 2011

The Best of 2011: Hotels & Haciendas

Here are my top hotel choices from my travels in 2011 . . . Drumroll, please!

Hacienda Cusin

1) Hacienda Cusin – If you’ve been following my blog, then you already know much I loved staying at this luxurious Ecuadorian resort last summer. My only regret is that my visit was so short, only for a night. No matter. I was still able to take in its beautiful pastoral surroundings and enjoy a couple of exquisite meals in the cozy dining room.

Spa at Termas Papallacta2) Termas Papallacta – I’ve written several posts about this luxurious hot springs and spa that lies high in the Andes, just 40 miles east of Quito. Just imagine starting your day with a restorative soak in one of several pools just footsteps outside your cabin door. Go ahead. Breathe in the misty, clean air brought by the Amazon jungle winds. Afterwards, stroll along the covered walkways that lead to the main lodge where a breakfast of empanadas and exotic fruit juices, like naranjilla or guanabana, await. I can hear you moaning now . . . Or was that me, remembering the experience?

The resort, a popular haven for adventurers and health-conscious travelers, is the first in mainland Ecuador to receive the Smart Voyager sustainable tourism certification. Lucky me to have stayed here for three days and three nights!

Inside Spa at Termas Papallacta

MV Evolution3) MV Evolution – My home away from home for my cruise of the Galapagos Islands was aboard a classic 32-passenger yacht “floating hotel.” Billed as a throwback to memories of exotic travel in the 1920’s, this small-ship was a beauty. With an all-Ecuadorian crew of 18 that included a doctor, cruise director and two naturalist guides, the level of personal service our hosts provided was exceptional. As you might imagine, the sky lounge on the upper deck became a very popular watering hole at the end of our days spent hiking, kayaking and snorkeling.

Okay – so far, my top hotel choices for 2011 have all been in Ecuador. But there is one more worth mentioning . . .

4) Hotel Casablanca in New York City – What a perfect little retreat from the over-the-top bright lights and cacophony of Times Square! Truly a boutique hotel, with its tiny elevator and narrow hallways, the hotel is a lovely little gem with a Moroccan motif in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The staff was warm and welcoming, and despite a few problems with the free Wi-Fi service during my stay, the level of service was outstanding. I especially enjoyed Rick’s Café, the intimate lounge where a delicious continental breakfast was provided each morning and a wine and cheese reception every afternoon. So civilized . . .

While there, I struck up a conversation with one of the other hotel guests – a young girl visiting New York City with her family to celebrate her 11th birthday on 11/11/11. If you saw The Today Show that day, you saw her, too, along with several other kids celebrating the same event themselves.

Inside Rick's Cafe at Hotel Casablanca

So much depends upon the care and kindness of strangers when we’re on the road. Whether you want to celebrate a special occasion like my new 11-year-old friend, or simply disappear off the beaten path, each of these hotels offer unforgettable experiences.

What hotels made your “Best of 2011” list, Wanderboomers? Tell us why.

Filed Under: Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations, Food & Dining, Galapagos Islands, Hotels, New York Tagged With: Amazon, best of, Casablanca, Ecuador, empanadas, fruit juices, Galapagos Islands, guanabana, Hacienda, Hacienda Cusin, hot springs, Hotel Casablanca, Hotels, jungle, luxury, Midtown Manhattan, Moroccan, Morocco, MY Evolution, naranjilla, Rick's cafe, service, Smart Voyager, spa, sustainable tourism certification, Termas Papallacta, The Today Show, Times Square

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON August 1, 2011

The Magic of Termas Papallacta

Prior to my arrival, my host had described this health spa and resort as “magical,” and “Very romantic and perfect for children.”

“Romantic” and “perfect for children” – at the same time? Is that possible? In any case, I was traveling solo on this trip. No romantic getaway or fun family adventure for me this time around.

I made plans to stay at the resort for three days and three nights, though my host had cautioned that “The town itself is not a tourist attraction and there are no activities to do around the resort.”

Situated at 3,3oo meters (10,800 feet) above sea level, this hot springs haven is protected by 625 acres at the entrance of the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve.

You won’t find trendy boutiques or celebrity-sighting sidewalk cafes here, which to my mind sounded like a perfect way to end my two-week journey in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

After all, isn’t that what every good travel writer needs? A place of her own to let the sights and sounds of the last eleven days seep deep into her consciousness? A thermal hot springs and spa where her muse would have space to absorb and digest all that she had seen and experienced (not to mention, eaten) along the way?

There was a slight risk that the height and the hot springs might have a hallucinatory effect on my writing, but I was willing to take that chance. If such a sanctuary exists in the Andes, I reasoned, I owed it to my muse to go there.

Thank goodness I did.

Termas Papallacta is a sanctuary of natural beauty framed by the steep-sloped Andes. On a clear day the star attraction is the snow-dusted Antisana volcano that soars 5.704 meters (19,800 feet).Unfortunately, my July visit coincided with the cold and wet season. I was left to imagine what must be a spectacular view of the volcano above the resort. But the fog that cloaked the surrounding mountaintops created its own mystique, as did the steam rising from the thermal pools into the chilly air.

True to my Seattle roots, I was not about to let a little rain diminish the enjoyment of my visit. My mantra became Rest. Relaxation. Recreation.

When I told one staff member how long I planned to stay at the resort, his eyes widened: “You must really need to relax!”

The majority of guests stay here for three days and two nights, but in the company of family. Families are revered and travel en masse in Ecuador as I witnessed at the thermal baths and in my wanderings throughout the country. I can see now why it might have seemed strange for a woman traveling alone to want to stay longer than a day and a night.

What a far cry, though, from the reaction I’ve had at home in a country where independence is so highly valued. When told about my two-week solo jaunt to Ecuador, the response has been universal among my women friends : “Do you know how lucky you are?”

Yes, yes, I do.

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, Destinations, Health & Safety, Travel Writing Tagged With: Ecuador, family, health spa and resort, hot springs, solo travel, thermal pools

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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