Joya del Pacifico

A sprawling green space offers poolside getaways along an exclusive strip of sand on El Salvador's Costa del Sol.

THE POOL is the focal point of the property, and centerpiece of outdoor life when the beach club, which caters to both members and travelers, is in full swing. The long curved swimming spot is anchored on one end by a spurting fountain in kid-friendly waters, and traversed by a wooden bridge at its center. An adult section has a swim-up bar, which is shaded by the palm fringes of an adjoined palapa. The large circular construction of rough-hewn logs has a soaring thatched roof over open beams and offers shaded refreshment at a dozen hard wood tables set on a natural stone floor. A poolside brick patio sits in the shade of a half dozen palm trees.

THE GROUNDS are rich with tall palms, lush plants, cacti and stretches of green grass. Guests are apt to get greeted by geese that have free range of the outer expanses, and are given to greet the morning sun with temperate calls that mix with the songs of birds and a host of other little creatures that flock to the verdant oasis. Paths of stone pavers that wind through the grounds are lined by tall lampposts which illuminate the way at night. Bungalows lie to one side of the pool area, with a dozen small palapas where hammocks are given to hang on the opposite end. Two large palapas with seating under high thatched roofs command each end of the beachfront, centered by a wide patio that sees small gatherings in the evenings to take in fiery sunsets.

THE BEACHFRONT is lined by wooden loungers that lie under thatched umbrellas and face a rumbling ocean, where early morning fishermen cast nets, and the occasional caravan of cows is given to pass. Guests are likely to have the secluded volcanic sands all to themselves during the week, with more lively activity like beach volleyball to be found when the weekend getaway gang pays a visit. While the ocean temperature is always as inviting as a warm bath, a strong current means that dips are best kept waist deep, with a lifeguard on duty atop a tall stand to ensure that no one gets swept away. There's also some serious kite-surfing to be had for the more adventurous of ocean lovers.

THE MENU abounds with bounty from the sea, with fish-soup starters, a half dozen selections of ceviches and entrees like shrimp with garlic sauce, calamari with rice, and a fish filet that comes smothered in shrimp sauce. Chicken dishes, steaks and a few fettuccine choices round out the dinner menu, along with burgers, chicken sandwiches and personal pizzas. Breakfast offerings include tacos with eggs, beans and sour cream, and Salvadoran-style offerings that come with generous sides of fried plantains. You won't be disappointed in the tree-to-table coconut water.

ACCOMMODATIONS are kept simple and meticulously clean. Spanish-style cottages that are topped by red tile roofs have basic furniture and built-ins of heavy, dark wood over tile floors, with small TVs and coffee makers among the somewhat Spartan amenities. Bathrooms have fresh water. Remote-controlled air conditioners are modern, quiet and powerful.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

La Hola Beto's

Enjoy a massive menu of seafood with your toes in the sand along El Salvador's Costa del Sol.

The well-known family of restaurants that boasts multiple eateries around El Salvador offers a variety of seating areas that range from beach-bum bites to fine dining at it's location along the popular seaside getaway of Costa del Sol. Service in the sand can be had at tables right on the beach, backed by a beach bar that sits under a roof of palm fronds, as light chill-out music floats over the entire scene. About two dozen wooden tables lie on the beach under Island-style wooden structures that support bright-cloth covers to shield the sun. An eating area of equal size sits on an adjoining patio, with even more beachfront seating found at large semi-circle cushioned loungers under wide thatched umbrellas. The beachfront dining spaces give way to a small wading pool and garden area that's flanked by an open-air structure of Roman-style cement columns housing over a dozen wooden tables with rustic tree-section tops.

The ridiculously large menu features seafood selections in almost any combination one can imagine. Ceviche is a specialty, with shrimp ceviche accented by red onions, lemon with ginger, spices, grated coconut and pineapple jelly, served with sides of elote desgranado, corn in a mix of cream, cheese, powdered chile and lemon. Cooked seafood platters combine fresh catches in a dizzying number of mixes, with both single servings and massive sharing plates of lobster, oysters, calamari and filets, along with shrimp dishes that are enhanced by accents like wasabi, chipolte salsa, avocado, cilantro and black olives.

Sushi that's served with sake and Tsing Tao beer is accented by traditional flavors from the East like ginger, Japanese vinegar and teriyaki. Over a dozen varieties of sushi rolls include cucumber-filled kappa-maki, classic California rolls, tuna and sesame rolls, with eel, salmon and crab tucked into seaweed wraps. Sashimi dishes with thin slices of raw fish like salmon are served in lemon juice, accented by peppers, red onions, leeks and olive oil.

Italian-stlye fare is represented by over a dozen different pizzas with traditional toppings like mushrooms, ham and salami, as well as lobster, shrimp and crab. Pasta dishes like spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna also draw from the bounty of the sea with accompaniments of lobster, shrimp, oysters and clams.

Drinks on the menu include beers like the local favorites Pilsener and Golden, along with the imports Grolsh, Heinelen and Bitburger, with a beverage menu that also favors beach refreshers like frozen drinks, daiquiris and pina coladas. Decadent desserts include vanilla sorbet, caramel flan and cherry flambe.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

Tortuga Village

Bali-inspired luxury is found in chic pagodas on a secluded beach in El Salvador.

One would not expect to encounter such a serene South Pacific-style setting just off a two-lane road where livestock share space with whizzing cars along El Salavdor's Costa del Sol. A cobblestone lane that bisects the property, passing a small field where horses loll in the shade of wide trees, leads to the eight teak-wood pagodas with thatched roofs that stand atop rough-hewn logs.

PAGODAS have open living areas underneath, with hammocks, suspended wicker chairs, lights, electric outlets and seating where guests are given take meals. Walled sections of thin bamboo create semi-private spaces under the deceptively well-appointed accommodations above. Inside, towering ceilings with curved-wood beans are topped by fans that preside over all-teak motifs, offset by modern-white furniture like shelving, side tables, stylish lamps, as well as crisp-white linens. Walls that bisect the rounded rooms form open-air bathrooms, where sleek modern sinks and large soaking tubs contrast the natural-wood world. Showers are piping hot in a place where accommodations with hot water aren't entirely common.

THE POOL is the centerpiece of the tiny village, a fresh-water swimming spot that lies just steps from each of the pagodas along white-sand paths. Tile-rimmed islands that each host a coconut palm tree dot the interior of beachfront pool, which boasts a large waterfall at one end, a mini waterfall to one side, a shallow end suitable for children, and five built-in stone loungers that are perfect for adult relaxation in the cool waters.

THE BEACH that's just past a verdant lawn is lined by huts that offer surfboard rentals, recreating space with hammocks and large wooden tables, and a massage hut that's outfitted with two tables and other amenities for spa treatments. The beachfront also has a line of day beds, clusters of tables and chairs under straw umbrellas and thatched-roof ranchitos that are available for daily rental.

THE GROUNDS are rich with garden spaces, with a winding tile path that's shaded by a trellised tunnel of greenery supported by wooded stakes leading to a large main hacienda-style house that has a wide covered porch, with meeting and banquet space inside.

FOOD is provided by the adjoining restaurant, La Hola Betos, which has a number of locations throughout El Salvador. A beach bar under a thatched a-frame roof serves a large section of tables and chairs that bask under bamboo structures with cloth sun covers. An eating area of equal size sits atop a patio that adjoins more beachfront seating, with large semi-circle cushioned wicker loungers under wide thatched umbrellas, and a small wading pool in the restaurant area.

The eco-friendly resort is involved in conservation efforts, with a sea-turtle pen on the beach that aids in efforts to release endangered turtles to the ocean.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

Sheraton Presidente

Elegance with shades of faded glory is found in the heart of one of San Salvador's liveliest hotspots.

The curved facade of the grand hotel, fronted by flags from around the world, takes one back to its inception in the late 70s, before its modern style became retro-chic and hotels needed more stories to proclaim prominence. Guests are greeted by a much more contemporary vibe upon entering the lobby, a sleek mix of marble with accents of gleaming metal and artwork on display that belies the property's true age. The clientele is a mix of well-heeled businesses travelers and high-end tourists, with a brass plaque heralding prominent past guests like Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The front desk is thankfully manned by a multilingual staff.

FOODIES will be happy to find that the restaurants have also been brought into modern times, with formal dining, casual eating areas and poolside noshing. International cuisine, including local specialties, is found at the restaurant La Terraza, which offers views of the hotel's expansive pool. A breakfast area puts on an impressive buffet, with dishes that span the globe from North America to Europe, along with Salvadoran staples like pupusas. Middle Eastern-style dishes are found at the Sheraton's Hookah Restaurant Bar, where traditional hookah pipes are on hand for guests to try, while more casual fare like sandwiches are encountered at the Bistro San Benito. Cocktails are served with cozy ambiance in the hotel's exclusive Marquis Bar. Sheraton Presidente, San Salvador Sheraton, San Salvador hotel

ROOMS also pay homage to days gone by, with balconies that one isn't likely to find in more modern constructs. Rooms offer either impressive views of the capital city and its mountainous backdrop, or vistas of the greenery shrouded grounds surrounding the pool behind the main building. The 225 large rooms that occupy four floors feature big comfortable beds and bedding that one would expect to find in five-star accommodations, similarly appointed with flatscreen TVs, wi-fi and high-speed Internet, as well as in-room coffee makers, all available in standard rooms and junior suites. Poolside cabana-style rooms that are perfectly tailored for short-term business trips have kitchenettes and are fronted by wide glass doors.

THE GROUNDS boast a big pool that's arguably the best swimming spot in the city, complete with a towering waterfall and shallow end for children. A garden area has a small putting green, while just off the pool a 24-hour fitness center is outfitted with free weights and weight machines, along with universal and cardio equipment. Massages and a menu of beauty treatments are found at the the Sheraton’s well-appointed spa.

NEARBY lies the nightlife of la Zona Rosa, home to some of the city's best restaurants, bars and shops and a center of social action for visitors and locals alike. Culture is also found just steps from the hotel, which shares its street with the internationally known Museo de Arte de El Salvador. The David Guzman Anthropology Museum, Estadio Cuscatlan and Feria Internacional de El Salvador are also in close proximity, as are the shops and restaurant of the always-buzzing Multiplaza.

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El Tejado

A hotel and restaurant with picture-perfect views in El Salvador's colonial enclave of Suchitoto.

The bright-yellow colonial construct sits near the bottom of a narrow, sloping cobblestone road, a short distance from the center of the quaint tourist town and its historic church. Livestock are given to graze in the street just outside the massive wooden doors that lead into the farm-style retreat.

THE VIEW is the selling point, with Tejado boasting one of the best vistas of Lake Suchitlan in the area. The hotel is set on a steep bluff that gives way to a lush ravine and overlooks the placid lake and its mountain backdrop, bounded by a slate patio with a Romanesque railing that offers a panoramic view. Wrought-iron cafe-style seating lies under shade trees on the wide terrace at the property's edge.

THE POOL runs a close second as Tejado's big draw. One of the biggest spots to take a dip in town, the pool has the same amazing view of the distant lake and the valley below, fronted by a tall stone waterfall, with a separate section for children to wade.

THE GROUNDS are verdant, meticulously landscaped, and adorned by antique farming equipment -- like weathered wooden wagon wheels, an ox cart and large, carved-wood vessels used by indigenous people to crush grains. The lush greenery is contrasted by brick and stucco walls in the artfully crumbled style that's found throughout the tiny town that saw the arrival of the Spaniards in the 1500s. All across the property, paths of paving stones wind through wide, tree-shaded gardens.

THE RESTAURANT sits poolside, large open structures with Spanish-tile roofs over open-beam wood ceilings and red-tile floors that house long wooden tables. The menu specializes in grilled meat and seafood selections, as well as traditional fare like horchata and pupusas. Light music floats across the eating area, with a singer on weekends who croons easy listening favorites and Rat Pack standards. Breakfast is included in the cost of accommodations.

ROOMS that are moderately priced sit along hacienda-style patios, with high ceilings and decors of bright, primary colors in true Salvadoran style. Some of the accommodations offer impressive views of the lake. All rooms have air conditioning, cable TV, hot showers, and generous bottles of water that are replenished daily.

ARTWORK by local artisans, like colorful pottery, hand-crafted figurines and jewelry in the style of the indigenous Pipi people, are on display throughout the property, with a selections of the pieces available for sale.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

El Jardin de Celeste

A coffee plantation turned mountain getaway takes guests on a trip back in time along La Ruta de las Flores in El Salvador.

CABINS at the hotel offer secluded stays on the slopes of hills rich with lush trees, coffee bushes and flowering plants that form a dense apron of greenery, criss-crossed by winding stone paths. Cabin porches with Spanish-tile roofs are bounded by low stone walls under open-beam ceilings, with impressive views of distant hillsides that are flush with coffee plants. The outside areas of the cabins host hammocks, as well as furniture like artfully weathered wooden tables for dining and antique rockers. Inside, tall a-framed ceilings of lacquered wooden planks preside over tile floors, accented by throwback furniture with heavy wooden shutters over the windows. Fragrance is provided by a candle-wax warmers, as well as traditional candles with aroma-producing coffee beans in their holders.

THE GROUNDS are dotted by water-filled stone vessels whose surfaces are decorated with flower petals to form artistic designs. A sizable white church is tucked in the rear of the property. A mini-menagerie has pens that house geese and a duck that flap in a stone water trough, a small white horse, and male and female “geeps,” a rare cross breed of a goat and a sheep. The hotel's main building is fronted by large wooden dug-out canoes that hold flowers and plants, flanked by remnants from the coffee-production days, like wooden wagon wheels, moss-covered stone grinding vessels that serve as planters and canvas coffee bags suspended from antique hooks. The one-story Spanish tile-roof structure has greenery creeping across its exterior and belies the large open area that lies just beyond the entrance.

THE RESTAURANT is one of the most popular eateries on Las Ruta de las Flores. Wooden double doors lead to a sprawling and comfortably cluttered space that's filled with antiques and plantation memorabilia, like a stack of vintage luggage, antique clocks and period photographs. Local handicrafts and jewelry are available for sale at the reception desk. Rustic-chic dining areas, which are generally filled with locals for breakfast and lunch, wrap around a large a flower-filled garden at the restaurant's center. The menu focuses on Salvadoran dishes, like tipico breakfasts with local cheese, fried plantains and refried black beans, pancakes with dulce de leche, as well as lunch and dinner selections like tortilla soup with fresh tomato and avocado, and steaks with sauce made from locally sourced Tenquique mushrooms.

LAS FLORES DE ELOISA is a small sister hotel that's just down the road. A handful of log cabins with simple rustic furnishings are tucked into lush gardens that are adorned with period pieces like wooden wagon wheels from coffee plantation days gone by. A small cafe is the centerpiece of the property, serving gourmet-style fare at an open dining area that's fashioned from rough-hewn logs, with antiques abound and works of primary colors by local artisans decorating the walls.

NEARBY lie the towns of Ataco in one direction and Apaneca in the other. Ataco is the more vibrant of the two colonial villages, with a large number of restaurants that range from bare-bones bites to gourmet grub, serving cuisine that includes Japanese, French, Italian, and Chilean – along with a number of eateries serving Salvadoran dishes. Cobblestone streets are lined with brightly painted homes and colorful murals in the town that boasts a open-air market and a thriving arts-and-crafts scene. Many establishments are closed during the week, but boom when the weekend crowds swarm the tiny town. Apaneca has a similar vibe, with colorful buildings, cobblestone streets and a large church that attracts a good number of tourists.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

Los Almendros de San Lorenzo

An eclectic mix of Salvadorean and French cultures is an unlikely find in the quaint town of Suchitoto, El Salvador.

Set on a narrow cobblestone street and fronted by a classic colonial facade, the restored 200-year-old hacienda offers a level of luxury one might not expect to encounter in the tiny tourist stop that's a bit ragged around its edges. The boutique hotel is the meticulously-cared-for baby of co-owners Joaquin, a Salvadorean native, and Pascal, a French ex-fashionista. The two have well-honed hosting skills and understand ambiance, which seems to be lost on even some of the town's better properties. All guests are equal to the hotel's namesake Boston Terrier Lorenzo, who is featured in a few paintings on the grounds and given to offer his hind quarters to get some scratching on his sweet spots.

Lush greenery abounds inside, with stone walls throughout that are maintained in a carefully crumbled style reflecting the colonial decay that's spread across the city. Two spacious open areas are the hotel's focal points and guest-gathering centers, with a garden courtyard that's centered by a gurgling fountain and flanked by loads of original art. The collection of works is largely religious in nature, but eschews the formal style found in typically rigid devotional art for more modern vibe. A glass-walled French restaurant looks onto a stone figure-eight pool in the second communal space, with tranquil music floating through both areas that are filled with memorabilia and antiques collected from across the globe.

Rooms maintain a mix of modern and antique, with furnishings like gently worn wicker chairs and creatively weathered doors that serve as side tables, placed against contemporary window coverings, gleaming fixtures and updated amenities like glass-wall showers. The rustic-chic motif carries throuhout the hotel, which is impressive enough to serve as a stop on a guided tour that winds through town. Poolside suites include a two-story apartment with a large patio that has a not-to-be-missed view of Suchitlan Lake, a big jetted tub and a fountain.

The hotel has spread to space across the street, with an art gallery that bears Pascal's name featuring the creations of local artists, connected to the lounge El Chucho Aquacatero. Named after a term for street dogs, the watering hole oozes chill-out ambiance that one is more likely to find in the cozy haunts of New York or Paris. The main bar has sleek black furnishings set against deep-purple walls, and natural-cloth tapestries slung from bamboo poles fixed to high ceilings. An arched doorway leads to a outside area that's carefully cluttered with art and awash in mood lighting, with clusters of seating areas that range from fine furnishings to junkyard revamps.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

Arbol de Fuego Eco Hotel

An affordable boutique hotel that's truly a garden oasis lies behind an unassuming facade on a quiet street in the not-so-quiet metropolis of San Salvador.

A namesake tree stands before the walled mini-complex that abounds with plant life within. A covered balcony offers views of the city and its volcanic backdrop, as does a rooftop observation deck that's accessed by a spiral staircase. Small lounging areas are tucked throughout the compact and winding property.

ROOMS are done in a style that's simple, rustic and vibrant, and look onto a center strip of greenery that serves as a natural air filter, with a gurgling fountain providing the soothing background track to the medley of music performed by songbirds. The removal of toxic pesticides brought life back to the grounds and filled the space with feathered friends.

ARTWORK on display comes from handicapped artisans who use natural materials like gords to create works throughout the hotel, including signs in bathrooms heralding the fact that the water was heated by solar, and near light switches reminding guests not to waste precious wattage. It's all done in the decidedly Salvadoran style of simple shapes and primary colors made famous by local favorite Fernando Llort.

FOOD is locally sourced and largely organic, including pesticide-free fruit and farm-fresh eggs, part of a breakfast that's included with stays and comes with plantains, or American-style with ham, along with fresh-squeezed orange juice -- pressed by manual juicers that replaced energy-sucking electric machines. It's served hacienda-style on a tranquil covered patio that faces a serene grass-free garden, flush with oxygen-pumping plants. Trimmings are gathered in hideaway compost bins.

GOING GREEN was a necessity rather than a choice for Carolina Baiza, the force behind the eco-initiatives at the family-run business. Runaway energy costs brought the place to the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, was brought in to do an environmental audit and identify ways to cut costs while increasing eco-friendliness. Energy-efficient lighting replaced standard bulbs. Rooftop air conditioners got covers to increase efficiency. Energy was also saved in a variety of small ways, like keeping coffee warm in a thermos instead of letting it sit on a continually heated burner. Electricity bills dropped from around $1,300 a month to $300, and the hotel has since picked up a slew of awards for its eco-efforts.

WATER WASTE was halted with low-flow resistors in showers. Rooms get a small pitcher of purified water, ending the hotel's use of around 5,000 plastic bottles a year. For toxin-free laundering, bleach was replaced by natural cleaners, like detergents without phosphates and good old-fashioned lemon and sunlight to remove stains. Sunlight is also employed to dry laundry, which gets hung under a transparent plastic canopy, with a quick tumble in a cool gas-fueled dryer for fluffiness.

NEARBY lies a small park that's bounded by restaurants and shops, as well as a botanical garden and the University of Central America in the quaint neighborhood. It's also close to museums and the nightlife found in la Zona Rosa.

Originally posted on vagabuzz.com

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

Rustic luxury and family friendly recreation is found among the evergreens of the Central California High Sierras.

Guests of the mountain lodge are greeted by an impressive lobby with a soaring wood-beam ceiling that's in tune with the Native-American motif and chalet-style vibe. A towering stone fireplace looks out onto clusters of sofas, leather chairs and wood-accent furniture, with views of forest pines through a peaked-glass facade. The AAA-rated Four Diamond all-season resort sits near the south entrance to Yosemite National Park at an elevation north of 5,000 feet.

DINING at Tenaya's five restaurants is done under the guiding hand of Executive Chef Frederick Clabaugh, who specializes in “Sierra-Alpine” cuisine. Fine dining is found at Embers Restaurant, a candle-lit eatery with plush, high-backed chairs that's centered by a crackling, double-sided fireplace. A menu that's largely locally sourced includes starters like lobster bisque with a black truffle crust, sustainable-seafood entrees like the house specialty of cedar-planked salmon, and grass-fed beef from the Double R Ranch. Flames are likely for the finish. Table-side desserts are prepared with a corkscrew-spiraled orange peel getting set alight, causing the peel's embedded cloves to gleam like demonic eyes. Jackalope's Bar and Grill offers more casual dining with a menu that's big on salads, sandwiches and burgers – plus Tenaya's own brand of beer on tap. Chef Clabaugh teamed with local brewers to create South Gate Brewing Tenaya Red IPA. The lodge's Sierra Restaurant hosts a breakfast buffet and casual dinners.

ROOMS are open and modern, with mixes of fall colors and natural woods that steer somewhat to the Southwest in style – and windows that open to let in that mountain air you came to breathe! Lodge rooms and suites range from a Deluxe, with a pull-out sofa bed and a balcony or patio, a Junior Room with a generous seating area, Spa Suites with balconies and Jacuzzi tubs, and Deluxe Suites with separate bedrooms. Designated pet-friendly accommodations are available, with staff pet-sitters on duty. A short walk from the main lodge, a collection of cottages sits in relative seclusion among tall Incense Cedar and Sugar Pines. Rooms and suites at the cottages have living rooms, fireplaces and outdoor seating on balconies or patios. A pizzeria that fires brick-oven pies, as well as a small indoor pool, are tucked into the cottage community.

UNWINDING is done at the Ascent Spa, a modern 10,000-square-foot Zen-infused facility with steam rooms, dry saunas, a fitness center and 12 treatment rooms for aroma therapies and a full menu of massages. On the way to the main indoor pool, kids (and inner kids) are likely to notice an arcade with video games, pinball machines, a pool table and air hockey. An archery range with seasoned instructors is also found on the grounds, as well an an outdoor ice rink that sees skating and s'mores around a formidable fire pit during the winter months, when horse-drawn sleigh rides and guided snowshoe hikes depart from the lodge.

NEARBY lies the Badger Pass Ski Area, an old-school, family-friendly winter-sports spot that has slopes, a ski shop and a wide sundeck with Sierra views in an uncrowded atmosphere. 15 minutes from Tenaya, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias boasts stands of the area's famed giants, surrounded by trails for hiking and biking. But of course a big draw is Yosemite and its iconic vistas like Half Dome's crest, which rises nearly 5,000 feet above the valley floor, the sheer granite face of El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls, North America's highest waterfall, plunging 2,425 feet, and immortalized through the lens of photographer Ansel Adams and the words of naturalist John Muir.

GETTING THERE. The lodge lies about three miles from Yosemite's southern Big Stump entrance, about 250 miles from San Francisco and 225 miles from Los Angeles.

Article written in conjunction with a sponsored media tour.

John Muir Lodge

A rustic retreat in California's Kings Canyon National Park that sits snugly among some of the world's largest and most-famous trees.

The timber-and-stone lodge is fronted by a wide covered porch and flanked by public deck-balconies with chairs and rockers that offer Sierra-sunset views. Inside, a large lobby has a rough-hewn, open-beam ceiling and clusters of twig-framed sofas, chairs and game tables that guests can use with a collection of boardgames. A towering painting of John Muir presides over an antique redwood mantel atop stone fireplace that's usually got a few logs going. The great room can host gatherings like ranger Frank Helling and his snowy beard channeling the lodge's namesake naturalist for a living history presentation. The place exists to unplug, so it's no mistake that there are no TVs in the lobby or guestrooms -- though there is free WiFi in public spaces.

Accommodations keep with the woodsy and somewhat Spartan theme. Natural light fills 34 rooms that have hand-crafted wood furniture and a few modern amenities like iPod docking stations and coffee makers. A Standard room comes with two queen-size beds and a Deluxe comes with a king and a sofa bed.

Dining is found a quick walk down the road in Grant Grove Village at the Grant Grove Restaurant, an open-design family-friendly eatery that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an espresso bar on its patio. The village, which serves as a base to explore the nearly 900,000 acres of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, also has cabins for rent for a more outdoorsy experience. It's all within walking distance of historic Grant Grove and its stands of giant sequoias and fern-flush meadows.

The General Grant Tree is a main attraction on a paved 0.8-mile loop that winds under the boughs of its fellow behemoths. Standing at 267 feet, the mighty sequoia is the world's third-largest tree and was designated the nation's official Christmas in 1928. Yuletide celebrations at its base continue to this day. The nearby Fallen Monarch is a massive long-felled sequoia that's been hollowed by wildfires and now lies as a tunnel that one can walk through. The ancient hull has been used as a shelter by Native Americans and early settlers, and has also served as a saloon, a hotel and a stable for the U.S. Cavalry that was sent in to protect the newly created national park in the 1890s. A short drive takes one to Panorama Point, a picturesque vista overlooking King's Canyon.

Getting There. The lodge lies three miles from the Kings Canyon Big Stump entrance, which is about 250 miles from San Francisco and 225 miles from Los Angeles.

Wuksachi Lodge

Perched high in the heart of Sequoia National Park, one can almost sense the spirits of naturalists like Henry David Thoreau and John Muir at the mountain getaway that boasts the peaks of the Great Western Divide as its awe-inspiring backdrop. 

THE LODGE is a rustic cedar-and-stone construct housing a grand lobby with a high timber-beamed ceiling and rock-rimmed fireplace bounded by overstuffed leather seating. The lobby's mascot, the bulky but quietly friendly stuffed “Eddie Bear,” will likely occupy one of the seats. It's hard to argue that sipping a beverage among the oak, cedar and hickory wood accents isn't made better by a big plush toy.

DINING at Wuksachi's Peaks Restaurant offers Alpine-style indulgence before towering windows with dramatic views of its namesake Sierra peaks. Executive Chef Jeff Graham is behind an eco-friendly program that pulls from the bounty of the neighboring San Joaquin Valley, utilizing local organic-produce farmers, and grass-fed beef ranchers, for dishes like braised Brandt Beef short ribs over barley risotto, and a chickpea fritter with organic leeks and pan-roasted oyster mushrooms. Sustainable seafood choices include creations like cedar-planked salmon, topped with grilled lemon Buerre blanc. For dessert, you won't be disappointed digging into Chef Graham's sugar-glass-topped take on the classic s'more. The adjacent Wuksachi bar also leans local, with a wine list that favors vineyards in Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Mendocino, as well as mountain-themed cocktails.

ACCOMMODATIONS at the AAA-rated three-diamond hotel that sits 7,200 feet above sea level include 102 nicely sized rooms in a cluster of chalet-style buildings along pine-fringed paths. Rooms range from a Standard, with a king-size or two queen-size beds and a desk, to a Deluxe with two queens or a king-size bed, along with a sofa bed, and Superior rooms, mini-suites that have either two queen-size beds or one king, and a sofa bed in a generous alcove that can be closed off with a sliding door -- perfect for some privacy from the kids on a family getaway. The interiors are in tune with their natural surroundings, with Mission-style furniture that's accented by cedar, stone and iron lamps. Modern-day amenities are offset by vintage black-and-white photos of the area's giant sequoias that have been drawing nature-lovers for generations. 

NEARBY attractions include the big draw of the big sequoias in the Giant Forest, home to five of the planet's ten largest trees. The famed General Sherman is the largest of these, measuring 36.5 feet across its base. A 3,200 year-old giant named the President rises 247 feet above dense stands of sequoia trees and sugar-pine conifers. Getting there can include a roll through the Tunnel Log, a roadway passage that's cut through a massive fallen sequoia. It's all surrounded by hundreds of miles of hiking trails. Moro Rock is a must-see. 400 steps up a steep 1/4-mile staircase brings one to the top of the dome-shaped granite monolith, with undeniably impressive views of the park and the Great Western Divide. Two miles north of the General Sherman Tree, the Wolverton Snow Play Area welcomes sledding, snowshoe and cross-country ski enthusiasts to its wide snow hill and sprawling meadow. A 40 minute drive from Wuksachi Lodge, Crystal Cave offers a 45-minute tour of stalactites and stalagmites along polished marble paths at a cool and constant 48 degrees.

TIPS. Don't bring your luggage when checking in at Wuksachi's lobby – best to leave it in the car that you'll park in a lot closest to your room. Do bring a flashlight to navigate Wuksachi's footpaths after dark – though the front desk will be happy to lend you a light. 

GETTING THERE. It's about a five-hour drive from San Francisco to a park entrance, with about an hour's travel time to the lodge. The distance from Los Angeles is slightly less. The Fresno International Airport is about 55 miles from the Wuksachi Lodge.
Article written in conjunction with a sponsored media tour.

Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Rwanda - Hotel Review

A cutting-edge destination for eco-tourism, Rwanda’s top luxury safari lodge borders the continent’s largest mountain rainforest and offers extraordinary chimpanzee trekking.

Rwanda offers a luxury boutique resort experience not to be missed at the edge of one of the continent’s oldest mountain rainforests. Nyungwe Forest Lodge sits like a dream on a rolling hilltop in the midst of the vast working Gisakura Tea Estate, with airy private bungalows that sometimes offer fleeting views of monkeys springing past in the forest.

Opened in 2010, Nyungwe Forest Lodge is privately owned by the Dubai World’s Mantis Collection (and managed by the South Africa-based Shamwari Group that has specialized in wildlife safari hospitality for twenty years, with sixteen lodges/wildlife reserves around Africa). The lodge works in cooperation with the government-owned park that organizes and runs all the tours from the hotel.

Guests here pass the time lounging, mingling and sipping fresh passion fruit cocktails in a sprawling glass-walled lobby and bar overlooking sublime mountain views as clouds roll through. Stylish modern décor of wood and stone incorporates contemporary African design elements that flow to the adjacent high-beamed dining room flanked by two romantic fireplaces. The restaurant patio offers spectacular morning and sunset views of the misty hills. For dinner, Continental cuisine tinged with local flavors is elegantly presented in a setting adorned with candlelight and white tablecloths. Meals are all-inclusive, but wine from a well-appointed list that features some fine South African choices is extra. An afternoon African tea ceremony highlights the fruits of the surrounding plantation, where guests can even try their hand at harvesting tea.

Located down a winding plantation path, each of the 24 spacious wooden bungalows offers safari-chic comfort, with slate-walled rain showers, deep soaking tubs, fireplaces and tall glass doors that open onto large, private patio decks just a few feet from the lush rainforest. African art and artifacts surround downy king-size beds, and indulgent extras include chocolates at turndown, daily shoe cleaning and heated towel racks. Additional pampering can be found at the infinity pool. Perched on the edge of the rain forest, it’s a great spot to watch frolicking colobus monkeys or to have a massage. As with many other aspects of the resort, spa treatments feature local ingredients, including tea leaves.

Nyungwe National Park is the largest remaining tract of mountain rainforest in East Africa, and the lodge offers a diverse selection of activities that showcase it, ranging from picturesque monkey-viewing or bird-watching walks to waterfall trails, canopy walkways and challenging jungle hikes. The main draw, though, is the exclusive guided chimpanzee trekking. The park has roughly 400 chimps, and this exhilarating adventure safari experience up steep mountain terrain takes guests through mud, moss and fern, deep into the forest primeval for an unforgettable glimpse of chimps in the canopy above.

The Nyungwe Forest Lodge arranges transfers between Kigali and the hotel for an additional cost upon request. Rates: $220/$320 per person, minimum stay two nights; inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Facilities also include spa with Jacuzzi, fitness center, private dining room, daily laundry service, free wireless internet, satellite TV. [ Nyungwe Forest Lodge -  Nyungwe Forest, Kigali, Rwanda, 00250, +27 (0) 41 509 3000]

--Martha Burr

Aaron Paul on Location: Need for Speed

Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul races across America in the thriller that shot in Georgia, Detroit, Utah and California Wine Country.

The super-charged spectacle stars Paul as an ex-con who enters a cross-country road race to exact revenge on a former partner, who in turn puts a bounty on Paul's head that draws in a gang of illegal racers. Imogen Poots, Dominic Cooper, Michael Keaton and Dakota Johnson co-star in the adaptation of the popular video-game franchise.

The chance to see America was a big draw. Star Aaron Paul says, “That's [a] reason why I wanted to jump into this film, just the fact that we did get to drive across this beautiful country of ours. I think we shot in seven different states. It was incredible. We were there for some time and I had a lot of time to really enjoy it -- I had weekends off if I wasn't traveling...It's the first time I've ever experienced Moab, Utah...it's like you're a Mars rover riding around on the surface.”

Columbus, Georgia stands in for the starting point of Mount Kisco, New York in the film's race that stretches from the Empire State to the California coast. Columbus' 13th Street Bridge, which connects the town to Phenix City, Alabama, plays a prominent role, with a sequence that ultimately sends a car careening into the Chattahoochee River. Rural New York is also represented by the Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome Georgia, with Rome's Cave Spring Road doubling for a byway in Middle America. A car wash in Macon, Georgia is also featured in the flick.

The mountainous red-rock landscape of Moab, Utah gets some screen time with a massive chase sequence that gets dangerously close to a drop-off above the waters of the Colorado River. Filming in Utah also hit its famed Bonneville Salt Flats. The largest of a series of flats west of the Great Salt Lake is home to annual land-speed events like “World of Speed,” and has been featured in films like Independence Day (1996) and Con Air (1997).

A pitstop in Detroit finds Aaron's character behind the wheel of his custom Ford Mustang named Beauty for a chase with police in the Motor City's downtown hub. The race finishes in California, with filming taking place north of San Francisco in Mendocino wine country, where vineyards give way to a run through redwoods and end on the Pacific coast at Mendocino's Point Arena Lighthouse. The film opens on March 14th.

3D Travels With Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Mr. Peabody and Sherman take a time-bending ride to Turkey, Egypt, Florence, Italy and across France.

Set in modern-day New York City, Peabody's retro-ritzy penthouse serves as a launching point for an adventure that drops Peabody (voice of Ty Burrell, Modern Family), Sherman (Max Charles, The Neighbors) and Sherman's frenemy Penny (Ariel Winter, Modern Family) at historic locations across the planet in the 3D update of the Jay Ward animation classic that opens on March 7.

The WABAC Machine makes an early stop at the Palace of Versailles to eat cake with a peasant-poo-poo-ing Marie Antoinette. Peabody's dangerous flirt with dessert finds him facing Robespierre's guillotine on the outskirts of Paris. Florence, Italy is also featured in the flick, as Peabody and Sherman detour to ask Leonardo da Vinci for some old-school help in powering up their high-tech ride. A pratfall from Peabody elicits a famous smile from the disagreeable model Mona Lisa, and Sherman takes to the skies in Leonardo's famous flying machine for a glide over the iconic dome of the Florence Cathedral and the bridges of the Arno River.

The threat of Sherman getting removed from his adoptive doggy daddy prompted flashbacks to Sherman's upbringing, and events like his learning to ride a bike ride in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the sleepy beach spot where the Wright brothers pioneered flight from the base of their bicycle shop. Past time travels also took the canine-and-kid duo to the South of France to see Vincent van Gogh paint Starry Night, into India to chill with Ghandi, to London for a stop-off with Shakespeare, with a bend into Bible lore to see baby Moses float down the Nile in a basket.

Ancient Egypt also saw some screen time with Penny nearly getting forced to marry the bratty young royal Tutankhamun, who likely lived in Akhetaten, whose ruins stand today at a site named Amarna around 360 miles south of Cairo. Myth mixes with historical fact for a ride in the Trojan Horse as Agamemnon (voice of Patrick Warburton) leads a gang of proudly unwashed Greeks that are joyously preparing to plunder the City of Troy. Today, the archeological site that's believed to be the historic city is a popular day trip from Istanbul, with some well-preserved Roman architecture among the remnants of the razed fortification.

Jason Bateman Chose L.A. Over D.C. for Bad Words

The dark comedy, which opens in limited release on March 14, got retooled for a trip to Los Angeles.

Jason Bateman said “no thanks” to Washington, D.C. in shooting his directorial debut Bad Words. Bateman pulls double duty in the movie, also starring as a nasty proofreader who uses a loophole to enter a spelling bee with kids. Over the nation's capital, Los Angeles was selected to shoot the low-budget flick that has a planned theatrical roll-out to go national on the 28th.

Bateman explains the production's shift across the country, saying, “It was originally scripted for D.C. It was originally scripted as the Scripps Spelling Bee to be televised on ESPN. I just knew that we probably wouldn't be able to clear those two things because of the content. Scripps would probably say, 'No thanks.'” The “content” Bateman refers to is his foul-mouthed character's habit of bringing naughty words into a spelling bee with kids, a bit of vaguely racist comedy and some sexual content like children discussing nipples.

But it was money that kept the crew from filming Inside the Beltway. Bateman reasons, “ESPN, even if they said 'Yes,' we wouldn't be able to replicate the production value. Location-wise, we just couldn't afford to go to Washington D.C. So it was as simple as changing that it's the Golden Quill Spelling Bee and it's Los Angeles, and it's the Sportsmen's Lodge and it's public television. And that...saves you tons and tons of money.”

Allison Janney, Rachael Harris, Phillip Baker Hall and Kathryn Hahn co-star in the flick that Focus Features picked up at last year's Toronto International Film Festival.