Arenal Nayara Hotel and Gardens

There are many, many hotels in and around the area of La Fortuna, Costa Rica and the Arenal Volcano, and you won't have any trouble finding anything from a cheap youth hostel to a luxurious resort. I almost hesitate to recommend this place because part of what made it so wonderful was the fact that it was very quiet and wonderfully under-occupied, as well as reasonably priced (about $150 per night, double occupancy). It's conveniently located close to the town of La Fortuna, but it's not right in the middle of everything. Plus the view in the picture is pretty much the view from every room in the place. The actual rooms are large and open, with lots of sliding glass doors and hardwood floors. They all have private outdoor showers and giant indoor showers, comfy bedding, and a patio with a jacuzzi tub and chairs for watching the volcano. There was also a great selection of DVDs in the lobby that you could check out for free and every room had a flat-screen TV.



We were greeted with delicious tropical drinks during check in and were driven to our room in a golf-cart. The lobby is very open and inviting and had plenty of places to sit and relax, plus a couple of laptops with internet access available for guests.



The only downside was honestly that they didn't have a pool. There was a large jacuzzi (that looked like a pool!) with lounge chairs and a swim-up bar, but nothing to cool off in besides your own shower and tub. I do believe that at the time (March 2008) they were adding some facilities, perhaps a pool, but if you don't mind that that's missing, this was a wonderful hotel. The staff was also so incredibly friendly, and we got to know them well even though we were only there for a night or two because the hotel is rather small and the attention you receive is very very good. Overall, a relaxing and wonderful retreat, highly recommended.

www.arenalnayara.com

Croatia: Dubrovnik's Old Harbor

This picture of the old harbor of Dubrovnik was taken during a walk along the city's ancient walls. Definitely a recommended activity, but be sure to give yourself plenty of time to make the rounds, as there is more to do up there than expected. Besides the obvious photo opportunities, there are also a couple of places to stop and enjoys some refreshments, the view, and even a swim. One is called Buza (I think!) and you don't need to do the wall-walk to access it. Here is a description of how to get there. I'd also try to do some swimming beneath the city walls. I never did it, but there were plenty of people down there enjoying the clear blue water.

As for the port itself, there are plenty of restaurants, craftspeople selling lace and lavender, and plenty of ferry services offering rides to the nearby islands. The quick cheap ferry (as in about five bucks and ten minutes) to the closest island, lokrum, is well worth it, and the boat leaves every 30 minutes from the old harbor. On the island there are rocky beaches, peacocks, an old monastery, and a nude beach, along with a few places to grab some food and beach gear. It wasn't the best beach I went to while in Dubrovnik, but it's so easy and pretty, why would you not? More to come on that island and others.