2022 Limited Time Promos
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It’s that time of year- family, food, and sales! Luxury destinations are offering amazing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, and we’ve highlighted a few great picks for you.
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Woodlyn Travel’s Best of 2021 Awards
/The votes are in and the winners of 2021’s Woodlyn Travel Awards have been announced. Special thanks to our highly qualified panel of judges, who painstakingly evaluated dozens of hotel pools and welcome amenities to determine the winners. If you’d like to sample them for yourself, reach out to us today to start planning your next vacation.
MAtthew’s Top hotel Pools
Matthew’s List - Top Hotel Pools
Park Hyatt Aviara; Carlsbad, CA
Hilton Los Cabos; Los Cabos, Mexico
The Ritz Carlton, Bacara; Santa Barbara, CA
Tie: Hotel Del Coronado; Coronado, CA / The Lodge at Torrey Pines; La Jolla, CA
Fairmont Grand Del Mar; Del Mar, CA
Mia’s Favorite hotel Keys and Keycards
Mia’s List - Favorite Hotel Room Keys
1 Hotel; Hollywood, CA
Alisal Ranch; San Ynez, CA
Lodge at Torrey Pines; La Jolla, CA
Park Hyatt Aviara; Carlsbad, CA
Fairmont Hotels; Worldwide
W Hotels; Worldwide
Marriott Marquis; New York, NY
Legoland Hotel; Carlsbad, CA
Cliffrose; Springdale, Ut
Andy’s favorite Unique Hotel experiences
Andy's List - Unique Hotel Experiences
Watching aircraft from MCAS Miramar take off over the sea from the pool at The Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Taking family archery lessons at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Roasting marshmallows around a private firepit on the beach at Hotel del Coronado
Watching Top Gun at the pool at Seabird Resort, complete with a Tom Cruise impersonator handing out popcorn and candy.
Exploring the huge vegetable garden at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa.
MElissa’s favorite welcome amenities
Melissa's List - Favorite Travel Surprises
The Amazing Travel Friends and Partners I've made this past year (too many to list!)
Cool International Experiences (Sabre experience at St Regis Punta Mita, VIP airport pick up and Retro Tour Paris from We Travel France)
Fun, Unique Welcome Amenities (some of my favorites: the Cosmopolitan, Intercontinental Cozumel, Hyatt Regency Westlake Village, Montage Deer Valley, W Punta Mita, Park Hyatt Aviara, Fairmont Grand Del Mar)
Hotels that customize their room for the season (Hotel Baume)
Fun Hotel and Travel Amenities at Home (Park Hyatt Aviara, Alisal Ranch)
Destination: Kenya
/For this edition of the Woodlyn Travel blog, we’re going on safari with luxury travel expert Jessica Rosen. Jessica recently visited Kenya for the first time and came back with a lifetime of memories. Here she shares with us some of her favorite experiences and luxury travel destinations:
Throughout my career in travel I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively, particularly throughout Asia and South America. But I had never had the opportunity to go on safari. Until now. My expectations for my first safari were HIGH, like “high as the hot air balloon I rode over the Mara” high.
My high expectations were met, exceeded, wrapped and tied with a bow, and exceeded even more. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing my fellow travelers experience their first safari and seeing the benefits of what a travel advisor can provide. Surprise dinners? Check. Unexpected Sundowners? You got it. Safari hats and other swag? Love it! Upgrades at every hotel? Obviously!!! We in the travel industry can grow to expect quite a lot, because we know all the dazzle is possible, and seeing it be given to people who aren’t expecting it is a gift in its own right.
For my first visit to Kenya, I went to Nairobi, the Maasai Mara, Lake Elmenteita, and Amboseli National Park and experienced three different clients from the KAI Collection of luxury destinations: Liberty Africa Safaris DMC, Sarova Hotels & Resorts, and Naibor Camp.
Liberty is the ultimate expert when it comes to tailoring an African experience to exceed your expectations. From the moment we landed we were happy with the quality of vehicle we received, and more importantly how our guide immediately felt like an extended family member. For the next 9 days we considered ourselves The Big 6, my family and our driver-guide Julius. On our way to our first hotel night we were already taught several words in Swahili and given the low down on what to expect for the trip. What we weren’t expecting was to cry nine days later when we had to say goodbye to Julius.
Liberty provided us with a seamless experience in Kenya. We felt safe, happy, and eager for more and more game drives to see all of the wonderful animals.
If you’re unaware of Sarova Hotels then I am pleased to introduce you to the wonderful Kenyan brand of hotels. Sarova has seven properties in Kenya and while on this trip I got to stay at two of them and do a site inspection at a third. One thing that is clear about Sarova properties: The customer service is some of the best customer service I have EVER had. It embodies the world renowned Kenyan hospitality.
Sarova Stanley
The history of Sarova Stanley dates back to 1902 as it is home to Kenya’s first hotel, stock exchange, and postal service. And for all of you ‘The Crown’ fans it is where Queen Elizabeth stayed on her famous visit to Kenya when she in fact became the Queen! Today it remains the go-to property for dignitaries. My personal highlights include:
Beautiful and historical artwork throughout the hotel
Convenient location right in the heart of Nairobi
The most delicious Thai food at Thai Chi
Sarova Panafric
Sarova Panafric is in the works of completely refurbishing and redoing all of their rooms and the hotel itself. It offers exquisite artwork throughout the hotel that provides the perfect sense of place utilizing African art and textiles. My highlights include:
Extremely futuristic technology in the rooms that can be controlled via iPhones
They created an “Eve” floor which is for female travelers only
Sarova Mara Game Camp
The general consensus upon arrival was that we all had died and gone to heaven. Sarova Mara Game Camp is made up of beautiful luxury tents and is home to “Sarova Mara Game Camp Chef’s Organic Garden,” a huge garden that produces around 60% of all of the vegetables and fruits that are served at Sarova Mara. It also offers offers fishing, mini golf, kayaking, volleyball all on property. My highlights include:
Amazing customer service. My two cousins don’t eat pork and during our first lunch the chef came to our table to ask if they found something they enjoyed eating.
We got to plant a tree! Sarova is driving an initiative to plant trees, and providing guests with an incentive to come back and check on their tree. We named ours TLC after our Toyota Land Cruiser we were using for all of our game drives.
Surprise dinners overlooking the Mara - we were asked to go on a “night game drive” on a golf cart and were brought to the most gorgeous dinner setting with our own private chef. For the end of the night they brought over the guitarist and singer for our private show. It was INCREDIBLE.
Naibor was a highlight for us all! Naibor, meaning space in Maasai, is an 11-tented room camp deep in the Mara. It combines some of the best Kenyan hospitality with being completely wild in nature and utilizing the space it has to provide the most tranquil and peaceful setting. At Naibor all of the luxury tents are overlooking River Talek which is filled with hippos, and for a large part of one afternoon we had the best time relaxing, looking at the river and watching the hippos chase baboons. The real beauty of Naibor was how luxurious and comfortable we felt while being completely in the wild. The food, service, views, and experience was definitely one of the most memorable parts of the trip. My highlights included:
Our guide Jacson - he took us out for a game drive and immediately showed us baby hyenas, we got two feet from a lioness, and had an incredible leopard sighting.
The most amazing sundowners. I’ve had more gin and tonics on this trip than I’d like to admit and half of them might have been on these sundowners with the most beautiful sunsets we have seen.
The cuisine was outstanding. From our packed lunches, to breakfast sandwiches in the bush, to garlic steak, it was incredible.
Other highlights from my trip to Kenya included:
A visit to the Giraffe Center in Nairobi - we got to pet, feed and be licked by giraffes. The giraffes at the Giraffe Center are the same exact giraffes that are at Giraffe Manor, so if clients can’t make it to the Manor this is an exceptional option.
Lunch at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Restaurant in Nairobi - the food is great but the real winner is the dawa, a delicious Kenyan cocktail made up of vodka, honey, brown sugar and lime.
A hot air balloon ride in the Mara! Words can’t do it justice - here is a highlight reel I made from the experience.
Learning about the many, many different types of antelope in the Mara. Ranging from the small dik dik to the massive eland.
Watching the elephants be covered in mud up to their ears at Amboseli National Park.
Baby hyenas! I feel like Lion King gave hyenas a bad wrap, but they’re opportunistic creatures and I couldn't help but love them.
Every.Single.Cat.Sighting - I cannot stress this enough! Doesn’t matter if it was a cheetah or a lion pride of 12, every single cat sighting was exhilarating.
All in all, this was a life changing trip and it has set the stage for all safaris (and there will be many more safaris!) to come. There’s no real way to describe how incredible it is to be so close to these beautiful, lethal and many times endangered animals. We all left Kenya feeling incredibly grateful to have experienced so much of life’s beauty.
And as our friends from Liberty said, “You can take the girl out of Africa, but you can’t take Africa out of the girl.”
If you’re ready for a great Kenyan adventure like Jessica, Woodlyn Travel can help. In addition to the destinations shown above, here are a few amazing resorts we recommend:
Fairmont Mara Safari Club - Rustic luxury in the Maasai Mara wildlife reserve, featuring glamorous tents on the banks of a hippo-filled river.
andBeyond Bateleur Camp - A classic safari setting, featuring luxury amenities and easy access to wildlife and cultural attractions.
Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy- Exclusive cottages close to nature, perfect for morning game watching and afternoon spa treatments.
Zion National Park
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021/6/3/c61trl60f2nudnmf6y533a4i9p48yhOne of the country’s most popular National Parks, Zion National Park in Southern Utah is home to massive pink sandstone cliffs and deep, shady canyons just begging to be explored. There are plenty of easy hikes for kids and beginners, as well as challenging routes for those looking to do some serious canyoneering or backpacking. Although it can feel like another world, Zion is only a 6-7 hour drive from the Los Angeles or Phoenix areas and 3 hours from Las Vegas, making it a great destination for a long weekend or as part of a longer tour of the southwest. Here’s an overview of the park, and what to see during your visit:
Getting Around
The heart of Zion National Park is Zion Canyon. This is where the vast majority of visitors go, so we’ll focus on this area. Traditionally, private vehicles have not been allowed into Zion Canyon, which means most visitors park at the visitors center and ride the park’s free shuttles to access the canyon. During the pandemic private shuttles were allowed, but that is being discontinued as of June 15th, 2021. The park has also discontinued advance ticketing for the free shuttles, which means going forward they will be first come, first served, and on holiday weekends and other busy times it’s possible you’ll have to wait over an hour at the visitors center to board a shuttle. Shuttle service starts at 6AM, and arriving early is your best bet for enjoying the park before the crowds arrive.
A popular alternative to the shuttle is to ride a bike into the park. Bike rentals, including ebikes that make uphills much easier, are readily available from shops just outside the park. It’s about 9 miles from the rental shops to the farthest spot up the road in the canyon, and takes less than an hour with an ebike. Ebikes generally rent for about $100 for a full day of use.
And if you don’t feel like dealing with shuttles or bikes, there are a several areas you can explore within walking distance of the entrance of the park. See below for some of those hike suggestions.
Passes
As usual, a National Parks Annual pass is the simplest way to visit Zion and other National Parks or federal recreation sites. They can be purchased for $80 before your trip or when you enter the park. Alternatively, a weekly pass is $35 and allows a single vehicle and its occupants into the park, or a $20 weekly pass is available for cyclists or pedestrians who will not be bringing a car into the park. To learn more about annual passes, take a look at our recent National Parks blog post.
Hiking Trails
Be sure to check the official Zion National Park website before you go. Weather conditions or rock slides can force trail closures.
The Narrows/Riverside Walk- One of Zion’s most popular spots, this journey starts along the side of the river, then as the canyon narrows, you can enter the water and wade upstream between towering rock walls. The first section, the Riverside Walk, is good for young kids, with plenty of shaded areas to take breaks, eat snacks, and watch the river flow by. If you choose to proceed into the river and up the canyon you’ll need appropriate gear, which is easily rented from the vendors listed below. The water varies in depth from ankle-high to chest-high depending on the season, and park rangers will close the area if there is a chance of flash floods. During the hot summer months the cold water feels great, and following the river deep into the ancient canyon is a truly unique experience. Guided tours are available, but not necessary. The entrance to the trail is adjacent to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop.
Angels Landing- Angels Landing is a strenuous climb up a ridge that offers an iconic view of Zion Canyon. The last section is comprised of a steep, narrow path with long drop-offs and a chain to hold on to. During particularly busy times, park rangers will limit the number of people on this section, creating a wait before you can finish the climb. You should allow at least 4 hours to hike Angel’s Landing, and if you’re afraid of heights it’s not recommended. But if you arrive early and are willing to push yourself a little, the payoff at the top is amazing. Access the Angels Landing trail from shuttle stop #6- The Grotto.
Emerald Pools- Three separate pools (Lower, Middle, and Upper) with waterfalls created by a stream dropping down into the canyon. Moderate difficulty with paved and unpaved sections and drops offs in some sections. There are several different approaches to the pools. For kids, the Lower Pools trail is fairly easy, with access from the Zion Lodge area. It can be done in under 2 hours. If you’re looking for something a little longer, start at the Grotto Shuttle Stop and take the Kayenta Trail to the Upper Emerald Pool trail, then after reaching the Upper Pool, coming back down along the Middle Emerald Pools Trail. Allow around 3 hours for this route.
Watchman Trail- Moderate uphill trail leading starting near the main Visitor Center area and leading to a bluff with views of the lower part of the canyon. Somewhat narrow trail with small drop offs in some places, and you’ll be in direct sun for about half the climb, so start early before it gets too hot. Allow about 2 hours for the round trip. This is one of the trails that you can do without hopping on a shuttle!
Canyon Overlook- A short, moderately difficult trail with amazing views that starts on the east side of the park, away from most of the other trails. The park shuttle doesn’t go this way so you’ll have to drive into the park, passing through the amazing Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel, which is quite a sight itself. Just after exiting the tunnel there’s a small parking lot, and if it’s full you’ll have to look for room on the side of the road. This can be difficult when the park is busy, so arrive early. This is a great hike to do if you’re entering or leaving the park on the way to Bryce Canyon or other parks to the east, and it’s a perfect option if you don’t want to ride the shuttle.
Gear Rentals
The town of Springdale is located just outside the entrance to Zion National Park, and not surprisingly it’s full of places to rent or buy any kind of hiking or camping gear you need, or set up a guided tour.
Zion Outfitters- Very convenient location, right next door to the pedestrian entrance to the park.
Zion Guru- Good spot for renting gear for the Narrows hike or ebikes, or for scheduling a tour with a guide.
Zion Adventures- Gear rentals, guided tours, and family packages.
Where to Stay
Cliffrose Lodge - Great accommodations in the perfect location: just a 5-min walk from the park entrance so you can grab some breakfast, lace up your hiking boots and beat the crowds into the park. Kid-friendly pool for cooling down after a day on the trails and beautiful views of the sandstone cliffs. Book through Woodlyn Travel for exclusive deals and amenities.
Where to Eat
Springdale has a good range of restaurants for refueling after a long day in the park. Be sure to call ahead- reservations and takeout policies vary widely.
Whiptail Grill- Good Mexican food and burgers. Walking distance from the park entrance.
The Spotted Dog- Casual vibe with good Vegan and Vegetarian options.
Kings Landing Bistro- Great food and a spectacular view of the lower canyon.
Zion Canyon Brew Pub- Right at the pedestrian entrance to the park, if you’re walking or riding out after a day on the trail, this is the place to stop for a hard-earned beer.
Destination: Ecuador
/As the world gradually reopens, we thought it would be fun to look at a destination that’s a little off the beaten path: Ecuador. Stretching from the Galápagos Islands in the west, across the towering Andes Mountains, and on to the Amazon jungle in the east, Ecuador is an incredibly diverse country that travelers are just starting to fully appreciate.
For this edition of the Woodlyn Travel blog we reached out to Jessica Rosen, an expert on luxury travel destinations. Jessica is an experienced traveler who recently spent 18 days in Ecuador and came back with a wealth of stories to share. Take it away, Jessica!
What if I told you that there is a place with white sand beaches, the highest and most beautiful mountains, some of the world’s most unique animals, a rainforest filled with different fauna and wildlife, delicious cuisine, history, chocolate and some of the best hospitality? Now what if I told you that it exists a short 4-hour flight from the US. This haven is Ecuador and it needs to be visited.
Before I chat about the destinations, I want to briefly touch upon COVID precautions in Ecuador. As of early May, people are able to visit Ecuador with a vaccination card or with a negative PCR test taken 96 hours prior to arrival. Quito has non-stop flights from Miami, Houston and Atlanta while Guayaquil has nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale and New York. It’s extremely accessible. There are sanitizing stations before you enter every establishment (markets, hotels, restaurants) and each facility also takes your temperature. It’s extremely easy to get a COVID test to go back to the states, it can be done at the airport right before your flight or at your hotel. The fee ranges from $50-$85 USD. Now to the good stuff….
The Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos is an ancient archipelago in the Pacific Ocean dating back over 3 million years consisting of 14 main islands and over 100 islets. It’s a 2-hour flight from Guayaquil off the coast of Ecuador about 600 miles away. The Galápagos is one of the most impressive places I have visited.
I had the pleasure of visiting the Galápagos by a luxury catamaran, the Alya Yacht, for 6 days and 5 nights. On this trip we visited eight different islands, went hiking and snorkeling every day, and saw some of the most unique wildlife in the world. What was most surprising to me was how different and varied the islands were for being so close together. Some islands had animals that the others didn’t and their topography varied so much. Each island was a new experience with different things to see.
The gateway into the Galápagos is through Baltra Island. That’s where the main airport is and where you can go board your boat or start your land journey. On our way from the airport to pengha (or dinghy— the small boat you take to the big boat) we had to stop the bus because there was a land iguana in our way! It was the perfect traffic stop for our trip.
As soon as we boarded our yacht, we were whisked away into Galápagan paradise. We started our first day with a hike on North Seymour Island and immediately started seeing the wildlife that is unique to the Galápagos. Within five minutes we were looking at the impressive and large iguanas, seeing how the blue footed boobies don’t move when people approach them, and staring at the giant red balloons on the frigate birds! Within an instant you’re drawn, hooked, and ready to see more of what the Galápagos has to offer.
Over the next five days we were taken to other islands where we walked, hiked, explored and got intimate with nature. We had some days where we were taken to empty white sand beaches to have to ourselves. Everywhere we went the animals and wildlife were abundant. We saw flamingos, we saw marine iguanas, we saw desert tortoises that are massive and live up to over 200 years! It was incredible.
When we were not on land, we were in the water! On one snorkeling experience we jumped right into the ocean and were immediately surrounded by baby sea lions. Baby sea lions act exactly like puppies and play fetch, imitated us in the water, and were the cutest things in the world. I didn’t know how much I could love sea lions until this trip. We saw so many starfish, parrot fish, and a shark or two! A highlight for me was swimming so close to massive sea turtles.
The Galápagos is not an easy trip, but it is a worthwhile trip. You’re waking up early, seeing nature and wildlife, and being active. You’re embracing the fact that you’re visiting an untouched, unfiltered, and pristine slice of life. If the Galápagos has been on your radar, GO NOW! There are no crowds, incredible rates, and the Galápagos is working on being fully vaccinated. As of now, 80% of the people in the Galápagos are vaccinated. I could not have wished for a more perfect trip to get back out there in my travels.
Woodlyn Travel Hotel Recommendation: Pikaia Lodge - Luxurious eco-friendly lodge offering all-inclusive packages.
Quito
The beloved capital of Ecuador! Quito is at an altitude of 9,350 feet, making it higher than Machu Picchu and the second highest capital in the world (after La Paz). Landing in Quito is one of the most gorgeous landings I’ve experienced and you see how the city is completely covered in mountains, the Andes Mountains!
The city is shrouded in history with cathedrals, basilicas and beautiful city squares everywhere in Old Town. A highlight for me was Iglesia De La Compania also known as the Gold Cathedral dating back to 1605. Quito is a great starting off point to get to the rest of Ecuador.
Woodlyn Travel Hotel Recommendations:
Casa Gangotena- Sophisiticated vibe in a 1920s mansion in the heart of Quito’s historic area.
Mashpi Lodge- Striking lodge just outside the city, offering amazing outdoor activities.
Mt Cotopaxi
The lovely and most beautiful Mt Cotopaxi! Ecuador is home to 82 volcanoes and 17 are active! Mt Cotopaxi is the largest active volcano in Ecuador. Adventure seekers can hike Mt Cotopaxi or if you’re like me you can stay at a nearby hacienda and take in the views and what the area has to offer. I stayed at a hacienda called Porvenir that offers hiking, horseback riding, and is overall a great place to relax and cuddle up by the fire drinking Sunfu Tea. From Mt Cotopaxi, Lake Quilotoa is only a 1.5 hour drive and extremely worth it. I compare it to the Grand Canyon of Ecuador for its vast beauty. Mt Cotopaxi and Lake Quilotoa are a must see.
The Amazon
The wild, wild Amazon. There are two places to go when visiting the Amazon in Ecuador - the upper Amazon and the lower Amazon. The upper Amazon has less animals and more adventure activities like white water rafting. It’s also a few hour car ride away from Quito. The lower Amazon, the Amazon I experienced, is much more focused on animals and getting there is much more interesting! From Quito you take a 35 minute flight to Coca where you’re greeted by a team. I stayed at Sacha Lodge (which is amazing!) and they picked us up and took us to a dock. From there it was a 1.5 hour motorized canoe ride, followed by a 30 minute walk in the jungle (don’t worry they give you boots!) and lastly a 20 minute small canoe ride. While there, you have plenty of opportunities to explore with your personal guide. Daily hiking, canoe rides, night time canoe rides to look for caimans, piranha fishing, walking across canopy bridges and much more.
We had a guide named Fausto who told us of his encounters with anacondas, caimans, and bullet ants, so by the time he picked up a poison dart frog, we weren’t completely freaking out! While we didn’t see any anaconda or jaguars, we did see a caiman, toucans and sloths. The Amazon took me out of my comfort zone and I loved every minute of it.
Banos
Three hours south of Quito lies a city called Banos. This is more for adventure seekers and people who have more time to spend in Ecuador. It’s filled with beautiful waterfalls, zip lining, swings over the world, and a good time. I was able to take a gondola above a waterfall for a truly unique experience.
Papallacta
By the 15th day of the trip I was pretty exhausted and scheduled myself some spa time! An hour north of Quito lies Termas Papallacta. Termas Papallacta has over a dozen hot spring pools that get its warmth from a nearby volcano. We spent two days here relaxing in the water, getting massages and body scrubs. The views were outstanding and a great way to relax at the end of the trip. They offer some hiking at the property and if you book three nights it includes fishing and milking cow experiences.
Ecuador is a highly underrated country and it shouldn’t be. It’s one of the most beautiful destinations I’ve been to, has excellent hospitality, and is an adventurers paradise.
