Hotels Offering Adventure Packages For Summer Travelers

by Jessica Festa on

Want to spend your summer looking for zebras, swimming with whale sharks and scuba diving ancient shipwrecks? Take advantage of these adventure hotel packages to make the season’s travels a little more exciting.

Picosa Ranch Resort
San Antonio, Texas

The Picosa Ranch Resort, located 30 minutes from downtown San Antonio, is an authentic Texas ranch that was once home to former Texas governor John Connally. Adventure activities include:

  • Taking a photo safari in a Polaris Ranger to see zebra, addax, common waterbuck, black buck, elk, oryx, barasingha, eland, Texas dall rams, roadrunners, Texas longhorn cattle and hundreds more local animals
  • Hiking through the Texas wilderness
  • Skeet shooting
  • Horseback riding
  • Shooting
  • Archery
  • Rodeos
  • Hay rides and climbs

Rates start at $7,500 per night, for a group of up to 18 people. All food, beverages and activities are included. Click here to book. The Little Nell
Aspen, Colorado

For those looking to do something a little different this summer, The Little Nell features an Adventure Concierge team to put together personally designed packages, as well as offer pre-set itineraries. Some of these include:

  • Geocaching- This adventure combines hiking with treasure hunting, and participants will use a GPS system to find and hide items called “geocaches.” Treasures are yours to keep once found.
  • Cowboy Camp 101- With this package, you’ll learn the art of backcountry living, like how to start a fire and catch your own dinner.
  • Fly Fishing Adventures- Anyone can take part in this activity, whether you’re a novice or an expert. To make the trip more interesting, helicopter excursions, women’s clinics and float trips in handcrafted wooden boats can be added into the journey.

Rates start at $565 per night, based on double occupancy. Adventure activities range from free and up. Click here to book.

Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, California

The Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport is offering a “Surfboard and Brew” package, for guests who enjoy a mixture of thrills and relaxation. The offer includes:

  • Accommodations in a newly renovated guesthouse
  • Surf lessons for two people at El Porto Beach
  • Two pints of beer nightly at the onsite Brewster’s Bar & Grill

Package rates start at $199 per night, based on double occupancy. Click here to book using promo code “SURFBREW.”

Curtain Bluff
Antigua, Caribbean

Until July 28, Curtain Bluff is featuring their “Active Package” for thrill-seeking guests. The offer includes:

  • Four nights of accommodation
  • 2-hour guided rainforest hike
  • Antigua Rainforest canopy tour, with 10 zip lines and round-trip transfers
  • Antigua Clay Pigeon Shooting School with round-trip transfers
  • South Coast Horizons kayaking trip through mangroves with round-trip transfers
  • Swimming with stingrays excursion with round-trip transfers
  • All motorized and non-motorized water sports
  • Two 60-minute massages
  • All meals
  • Bar drinks
  • Use of gym, tennis courts and squash courts
  • Round-trip airport transfers

Package rates start at $4,045 for a deluxe room, based on double occupancy. Click here to book.

Rosewood Tucker’s Point
Hamilton Parish, Bermuda

To help introduce guests to a truly unique adventure, Rosewood Tucker’s Point is featuring the opportunity to explore The Warwick shipwreck. Through July 24, the hotel is inviting guests to dive alongside researchers as they investigate the wreck, which is believed to date back to the Armada of 1588. It is part of the “Warwick Adventure” package, which includes luxury accommodations, and a Tuesday or Thursday dive for two people.

Package rates begin at $875 for the first night for two people. Additional nights begin at $730. Click here to book.

Hotel Solmar
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

For those looking for adventure on a budget, Hotel Solmar is offering a great deal. Guests will be able to book three adrenaline-pumping activities for $189 per person. Excursion options include snorkeling, riding wave runners, underwater helmet diving, scuba, zip lining, ATV riding, whale watching, La Paz day trips, Todos Santos tours, horseback riding and sunset cruises.

Rates start at $161 per night. Click here to book.

JW and CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resorts
Cancun, Mexico

Have you ever wanted to swim with the world’s largest fish? This summer, JW Marriott Cancun and CasaMagna Cancun are offering guests the chance to swim with whale sharks in the wild, as they migrate through the coastal waters of Cancun. The enormous fish can reach up to 50 feet long, as you can see in the side photo by Jeronimo Prieto. The area is home to one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, so it’s truly a memorable adventure.

Excursions are $165 per person including lunch. Room rates begin at $149 in July, and $119 in August and September. Click here to book for JW Marriott, and click here to book CasaMagna Marriott.

Tambo Blanquillo Lodge
Manu, Peru

A stay at the Tambo Blanquillo Lodge will allow you to explore the many facets of the Amazon Jungle. The property operates four and five-day packages, which include night hikes through the forest, piranha fishing, boating through lagoons and lakes, spotting pink dolphins, caimens, anacondas and other unique species and kayaking.

Prices start at $700 for a 4-day/3-night excursion. Click here to book.

Ellerman House
Cape Town, South Africa

The Ellerman House in Cape Town is located on the cliffs of Bantry Bay, and is a great home base for a wildlife safari. Through July, the hotel is offering an “Ellerman House/Grootbos Private Nature Reserve 2012” package, in conjunction with Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. With the deal, guests will receive:

  • Trips to Robben Island and Table Mountain
  • A full-day tour of the penguin colony at Stony Point
  • Shark cage diving at Grootbos
  • A social responsibility tree-planting excursion

Package rates begin at $350 per night. Click here to book.

Awasi Lodge
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

For adventure travelers with a lot of stamina, Awasi Lodge is featuring a five day “Awasi Adventure” package, which concludes with climbing the summit of a 19,589-foot peak. The itinerary includes high trekking, downhill biking and steep hikes, as each day gets progressively more difficult to prepare you for the hardest challenge. Some activities include biking to Moon Valley, hiking Devil’s Gorge and trekking the Sairecabur Volcano.

Package rates start at $3,515 per person for five nights. Click here to book.

$1000 Ice Pop In Los Cabos

by Elizabeth Seward on

In case our global decadence hasn’t yet reached a peak, you too can now shell out for a $1,000 ice pop made with gold flakes and premium tequila. This might just be the world’s most expensive ice pop. Offered at the pool of the Marquis Los Cabos resort in Baja California Sur, Mexico, this sugary, golden treat can’t last you more than a few moments of indulgence before it melts, but c’est la vie? I’ve never really understood the appeal of eating gold flakes short of the same bragging rights that come along with buying a useless $1,000 iPhone app, so perhaps I’m missing something here – or maybe not. What are your thoughts on this luxury resort’s $1,000 ice pop?

Outer Space Camping Tent

by Elizabeth Seward on

I want a tent that looks like outer space – an outer space camping tent. Luckily, Field Candy has designed such a tent. A high performance A-frame camping tent with a digitally printed outer space shell looks every bit as good as it sounds. I haven’t tried it out myself yet and I probably never will because it is $649.99 and I thereby have no claim to how good of a tent this product actually is, but something tells me that the simple act of taking this tent along for a camping or backpacking trip would win you countless conversations with fellow traversing strangers, for better or for worse. And really, that’s what traveling is all about, the for-better-or-for-worse part. So set up an Amazon gift registry that includes this tent and hope that friends will come across it online and buy it for you.

Hotel News We Noted: June 22, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

It’s finally summer, and outside isn’t the only thing that’s warm in this week’s edition of Hotel News We Noted. Here, we explore some of the world’s most sizzling new hotels and promotions, as well as cool amenities that can keep you traveling in style.

As always, if you have a suggestion or a comment, feel free to email us.

Hotel Trends: U.S. Hotels Catering to Chinese Travelers
Chinese travel to the United States is up 36 percent over last year, to the tune of more than $1 million. This article from the Seattle Times explored what that means for hotels. Chains like Marriott and Hilton have already rolled out special programs for tourists, while Starwood and The-Ritz Carlton have relocated managers to China to help them gain cultural awareness. Fairmont has just rolled out a new Chinese menu. Just one example includes the nation’s strict hierarchy – employees should not be placed on a higher floor than their boss, no matter the room type. Chinese guests are also not housed on floors with the number four, which sounds like the word for “death” in Mandarin – a strange request for a U.S. audience, but something that these tour groups have greatly appreciated. And, at the tune of $5.7 billion per year spent by the Chinese in the United States, or $6,000 per traveler, hoteliers can’t afford not to take note.

Cool Perk: Leave the Workout Gear at Home, Thanks to Westin
Westin is making it easier than ever to stay fit on the road (and still avoid checked bag fees). For $5, guests can get an entire New Balance outfit – from a sports bra to shoes – delivered to their room as part of an exclusive gear-lending partnership with New Balance.

Money We Wish We Had: Larry Ellison Buys Lanai, Two Four Seasons
Oracle CEO and billionaire Larry Ellison has gone and done it again. This time, he bought Lana’i, one of Hawaii’s seven islands, which has not one but two Four Seasons Resorts. Purchased are the 236-room Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay and the 102-room Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, The Lodge at Koele. We didn’t realize this was even possible, but apparently it is – he purchased the island to the tune of $500 or $600 million from David Murdock, another billionaire.

Unique Amenity: An On-Site Bagpiper
Guests at Sea Island’s (image of their luxe property The Cloister above) can relax after a day of shooting school or playing one of the resort’s three championship golf courses and enjoy the sounds of the resort’s resident bagpiper, who plays on the golf course every day at sundown. Shockingly, this isn’t the only U.S. hotel to offer the amenity – the Inn at Spanish Bay near Pebble Beach has the same thing. Who would have thought?

Soon-to-Open: Hotel BPM, Brooklyn
It’s no shock to us that Brooklyn will be the home base for the boutique Hotel BPM, or Hotel Beats Per Minute in Sunset Park. The hotel, opening August 1, has one cool program we’re keeping an eye on – guests can request one song that will be played throughout the hotel sound system at some point during their stay. At just $139 a night for the opening rate, it might be worth it to go and request something terrible like “Ice Ice Baby” or country music just to see the reaction of other guests. Sorry, we’re terrible.

How To Make Friends When Traveling Solo

by Jessica Festa on

Having nobody to travel with shouldn’t stop you from visiting the destinations you dream of going to. In fact, meeting others on the road is a lot easier than people think. To help you make friends while traveling solo, use the tips below.

Eat Alone At The Bar

It may sound strange, but eating alone at a bar is actually a great way to meet others. While eating alone at a table may not help you make connections, eating by yourself at the bar makes you approachable. Additionally, you’re more likely to encounter other solo travelers doing the same. And if all else fails, you’ll still have the bartender to talk to.Make Use Of CouchSurfing And Meetup

When I travel solo, CouchSurfing is my bible. I don’t use it to stay on people’s couches, but instead to connect with locals and other travelers. There are forums where you can tell people when you’re arriving in a city, see what other people have planned and browse events in the area. Likewise, Meetup allows you to find like-minded people and attend activities that match your interests, like hiking, meditation, philosophy or spicy food.

Stay In Hostels

While obvious to some, there are still many who are apprehensive about staying in hostels. They picture the movie “Hostel,” with dirty, dingy rooms and creepy guests and murderers lurking the halls. In reality, hostels are usually clean, with friendly staff and myriad activities to help you get to know the city. Look for properties with common areas like kitchens, TV rooms, bars and BBQ areas.

Take Walking Tours

Many cities offer free or affordable walking tours. When going on one, it’s almost impossible not to strike up conversations with other travelers. You can discuss how interesting the sites are, and then segue into what other tours they plan on taking. From there, making conjoined travel plans is simple.

Strike Up Conversations On Transportation

Taking public transportation is a great way to meet other travelers and locals. You can ask the person next to you about where they’re going, and about where they came from. For example, on a train journey through Germany, I met a young artist from Holland who was traveling the world indefinitely. Not only did he tell entertaining stories about being arrested for doing graffiti in New York, but we also ended up exploring Munich together.

Use The Currency Exchange

All travelers need money, so what better place to meet people than a currency exchange? This is where I met one of my closest friends from traveling. The line was long, and when he saw I was wearing a backpack like he was, he struck up a conversation. We ended up traveling together for two weeks, and still visit each other in our home cities.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a worthwhile way to spend your time in any city. Not only will you be helping a community in need, you’ll also be immersing yourself in a culture and getting to know locals and volunteers. A good idea is to do a homestay, as this helps you get an authentic experience of a place while becoming close with the people you’re living with.

Book Organized Trips

While doing excursions on your own will save you money, booking an organized tour will help you meet others. You’ll not only be interacting with the travelers on the tour, but also the local guide. Many times I’ll ask the guide about interesting places to see and fun places to go out, which leads to groups of people making plans to explore together.

Ask Questions

When traveling, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask other travelers about their trips, a local baker about how they bake fresh bread, a cab driver about the types of people they encounter or a hotel owner about what inspired them to begin a business. Every person you encounter is an opportunity to learn something new, and make a new connection.

Be Open To New Experiences

If a stranger invites you to go dancing, if a local wants to bring you as a guest to a wedding or if you get invited to dinner at someone’s home, take the opportunity. Again, it’s a great way to have an authentic experience while getting to know locals. That being said, always trust your gut. If you get a bad feeling about someone, get away immediately.

Use Social Media

Social media isn’t just for sharing funny pictures and telling the world how you’re feeling; it can also be used to meet other people when traveling. A lot of times when I’m going on a trip, I’ll put a tweet or Facebook status out telling others my plans. Even if nobody else will be in the city I’m traveling to, they may have a friend or family member who will be.

Host A Party Or Get Together

You don’t need to wait to hear about an event from someone else. Instead, plan one yourself. It doesn’t need to be anything lavish. Even having people get together at a karaoke bar or advertising a language exchange can get people excited. When in Mendoza, I was traveling solo and didn’t know anyone in the city. My birthday was coming up, so I decided to plan an event that included going to an asado restaurant and then out dancing. I posted a message on CouchSurfing, as well as put a note up in my hostel, and ended up having a group of about 12 people come along.

Picnic

This is especially effective in Europe, where picnicking is popular. Go to the market and pickup some cheese, bread, fruit, cold meat, wine and a blanket, and head to the nearest park or square. You can offer to share food with other people, or find other picnickers to share with.

Hangout In Parks

Not only are parks great for picnicking, they’re also the place where people go to do all kinds of activities. Hangout with people playing live music, get in on a game of frisbee or play some chess with a stranger. When I was at a park in China, a group of girls saw me watching them do traditional dance, and they asked me if I wanted to learn. I had a great time trying something new, and got to meet some really nice locals.

Pub Crawls

It’s almost impossible not to make friends on a pub crawl, especially since the alcohol will make you less nervous about going up to strangers. Moreover, the extremely social setting and outgoing guides help to get people mingling.

[images via ms.margie, Jessie on a Journey, Michael de’Oz, Jessie on a Journey, Jessie on a Journey, Jessie on a Journey, aherrero]