Accommodations Worldwide

I read in the October ’03 issue, page 65, about Los Alpes Hotel (233 Tamayoy George Washington, Quito, ECUADOR; phone [593-2] 2 561-110, e-mail losalpes@ecuadorexplorer.com or visit www.hotellosalpes.com). The reader said it was his favorite place in Quito — and now it’s my favorite, too.

I booked a reservation starting Dec. 15, ’03, and a taxi was waiting for me at the airport in Quito ($7 to the hotel; Ecuador uses only American currency). I was royally greeted and accommodated.

My very, very nice accommodation for three nights, three breakfasts and one great supper with...

The Arosfa Hotel (83 Gower St., London WC1E 6HJ, ENGLAND; phone/fax 020 7636 2115), located a 5-minute walk from Goodge Street Underground Station, is more a B&B than a hotel, in my opinion. It is one of several small hotels along busy Gower Street. I would recommend requesting a room in the back of any of them, as Gower Street has traffic noise most of the time.

The rate was £45 ($83) per night, single. All rates posted at the Arosfa refer to rooms with facilities en suite, and accommodations range from singles to quads. Breakfast is included.

You’ll find no elevator,...

On March 12, ’03, my three sisters-in-law and I began a trip that had been in the making for over two years. We flew to southern France, via Paris, for one week of horseback riding at Domaine du Soleil (Route de Villesque, 30610 Sauve, France; phone 0033-0466804515, cell phone 06-82658301 or e-mail barbara.gahn@wanadoo.fr), a large estate on 70 acres of land and home to horses, goats, pigs, chickens, five dogs and one burro. Each of us varied in our riding skills but shared a common willingness to do our best, not a small thing for four women in their 50s.

We began our journey from...