StarDome Peru officially opened its doors in April of this year and offers a brand-new hotel experience for travelers in the Sacred Valley, just 20 minutes from Ollantaytambo. The two-story geodesic dome is built on the slopes of Veronica Mountain. The bottom floor houses 5 bedrooms with all the comforts you can wish for: Queen beds with handmade blankets, heated marble floors and a private bathroom with stone shower and handmade tiling by world-renowned Peruvian ceramic artist Pablo Seminario. They offer views of the mountain, the valley or the property's garden. The generously sized Royal Mountain Suite is equipped with a King bed and a double Jacuzzi; it also has private access to the upper-floor StarDeck. The StarDeck is outfitted with comfortable chairs and couches as well as a telescope, perfect to relax and enjoy the 360° view through floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the beautiful landscape and the night sky. Meals are served at the signature restaurant Apu, which specializes in the culinary heritage of Peru by highlighting local chefs and locally sourced ingredients, including produce farmed directly from the property's garden. StarDome Peru is co-founded and run by the local Quechua community, which also supplies 90% of the staff. Besides exploring the sights of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, you can participate in activities with the community, such as traditional healing ceremonies or introductions to plant medicine. 
Want to know more about StarDome Peru? Just click here to contact us!
Picture credit: StarDome Peru

At the end of last year, Lima inaugurated the "Boulevard Gastronómico Calle San Ramón" in Miraflores. Before its extensive remodeling, the pedestrian street known as "Calle de las Pizzas" was home to improvised outdoor seating from bars and restaurants, leaving only a narrow passage to navigate the evening and weekend crowds. Now, the boulevard presents itself in new splendor: a wide walkway with comfortable seating on either side, suffused with natural light and adorned with beautiful illumination at night. At the corner of San Ramón and Bellavista, the new food court Mercado San Ramón offers culinary treats from all over the country, including Amazonian cuisine, chifa (Chinese-Peruvian fusion) and nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion). International cuisine, craft beer and cocktails are also on offer. The San Ramón Boulevard is definitely worth a visit to treat yourself with delicious food!

In March 2022, Hilton announced their debut in the Galapagos archipelago by signing the Royal Palm Galapagos Hotel to their Curio Collection. With joining the Hilton brand comes a renovation to refresh the lobby, spa, guest rooms and dining area.
Surrounded by lush miconia forest in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Royal Palm Galapagos offers 21 spacious rooms and villas. The standard and deluxe rooms feature a dining area, an indoor Jacuzzi or wet room and a front porch or terrace overlooking the garden. The villas are also equipped with a living/dining room and an open fireplace. The hotel also features a pool, spa and fitness center. The private property covers an area of 156 hectares with lots of exciting things to discover, such as walking trails, lava tunnels and craters. The restaurant serves authentic Galapagos cuisine, with local seafood and fresh produce from the islands. It also offers a fine dining experience inside a cavern in one of the lava tunnels. The hotel puts a strong focus on sustainability: the hotel operates a Miconia and Escalesia Reforestation Program as well as a rain harvesting and water reduction system which reuses rain water and recycles almost 90% of its residues. 
For more information about Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton or travel ideas in the Galapagos archipelago, please contact us!
Picture credit: Hilton

Wine is not typically something that people connect to Ecuador, which is what makes this new winery tour two hours from Guayaquil unexpected and unique! The Bodega Dos Hemisferios is located in San Miguel del Morro, just a few kilometers from the Pacific Coast. Sunny days, cold nights, calciferous soil and a steady ocean breeze create some truly magnificent wines. The winery offers half or full day programs, with a guided tour of the vineyard to learn about the winery's history as well as the challenges of cultivating grapes in this region. During a visit of the production area, you learn about the process of wine making. The tour ends with a tasting of Dos Hemisferios wines, accompanied by a snack platter or a delicious 3-course lunch (full day tour). The winery also offers a live cooking experience with a 4-course meal and premium wine tasting. 

Just before the pandemic, an exciting adventure for glamping fans became available in Sauce de Portezuelo, located 30 minutes from Punta del Este and 1 hour from Montevideo. The camp of Big Bang Nature Stays is nestled between lush forest and the Atlantic coast. Their 12 luxury domes with a size of 27-43m ² are available in 3 categories: Tiny, Big and Big with mezzanine. All of them are equipped with a King size bed, private bathroom with hot water shower, air-conditioning and mini-fridge; they all offer a view towards the beach. The communal spaces include a living-room dome with comfortable couches, sound system, books and musical instruments. The kitchen and bar are housed in a converted airstream that is parked on the property. Meals are served in the dining dome or, if the weather allows, outside. There is also a dome for art activities and workshops, a small hot tub and a playground for children. During your stay, you can enjoy the beach, explore the surroundings on hikes, bike rides or on horseback, go fishing or try your hand at watersports, such as canoeing or windsurfing.

Click here to learn more about Big Bang Nature Stays and to request travel ideas!
Picture credit: Big Bang Nature Stays Uruguay

Located in the city center of Buenos Aires, the Palacio Paz Hotel was reopened under new ownership and after extensive renovations shortly before the pandemic. The hotel is housed in a historic building facing San Martin Square. The massive 12.000m² mansion was commissioned by newspaper magnate José C. Paz, designed by the French star architect Louis Sortais and subsequently built between 1902 and 1914. It was inspired by the French Beaux-Arts style and all building materials were imported from France to accurately reflect the dominant aesthetics in Paris at that time. Besides the hotels, the palace also houses the Military Museum and the traditional Military Officers' Association.
The new Palacio Paz Hotel offers 57 rooms in four categories, all equipped with WiFi, LED TV with cable and safe with laptop capacity. Some of the rooms have a balcony with view of the San Martin Square. The restaurant Moby Dick serves both traditional regional cuisine and selected international style dishes, while the cocktail bar offers an array of traditional and signature drinks. The renowned harbor district Puerto Madero and the famous shopping center Galerías Pacifico are in walking distance from the hotel, as are various excellent restaurants and cafés. 
Please request rates and availability with our team here.

Mendoza is widely recognized as Argentina's wine capital, but not every traveler has the opportunity to go there during their vacation. Thanks to Bodega Gamboa, wines lovers now have a  full day wine and food experience just outside of Buenos Aires to look forward to! The winery is located 65km from the capital and their new "Gamboa Experience" combines the delights of a day in the countryside with a delicious meal and fantastic wines. After arriving, you tour the vineyard and learn about Gamboa's history as well as the unique characteristics of growing wine in this region. Afterwards, you sample the bodega's wines while snacking on a selection of cheeses. At lunchtime, you head to the main house "Casa Gamboa" to visit the beautiful library before settling in for the 3-course "Native Soil Experience". It includes a starter with freshly baked focaccia, organic tomatoes, parmesan polenta, empanadas, mortadella and morcilla (local black pudding). For the main course, you can choose between rib eye steak, fish of the day or vegetarian lasagna. Finish off strong with a desert variation including alfajores and mascarpone crème with white chocolate and raspberry. The meal is accompanied by wine, water and coffee with desert. To include the "Gamboa Experience" in your Buenos Aires programs, please contact us here!

If you want to try a new restaurant in Santiago, with innovative dishes that celebrate seasonal ingredients, look no further than Fractal Restaurante. It is the new endeavor of chef Sayil Guerra, who previously worked with renowned Chilean chef Francisco Mandiola and gained experience at the Santiago-based restaurant Boragó, a regular on "The World's 50 Best Restaurants". Fractal's menu is small but it packs a punch! There is a changing selection of each 5-8 starters and main courses, depending on which produce is in season. Currently, the menu features delicious appetizers such as fried sweetbread with pumpkin, curry and pickled onion. Vegan options include grilled artichoke with miso sauce and greens or mushrooms with almonds and carrot. For your entrée, how about Southern hake with almonds, beet and carrot or duck confit with onion, sourdough and spinach? Fresh pasta with egg and leek sauce makes for a delicious vegetarian option. As a sweet finish, try the curry and honey crème with quince and yam or the creamy chocolate with toffee, pepper and orange. The dishes are accompanied by Chilean wines and beers or cocktails such as Elderberry Spritz and Gin Mule with pear. Please contact us to include Fractal Restaurant in your Santiago programs or to request more food recommendations.
Picture credit: Fractal Restaurante

São Paulo welcomes its visitors with new premium hotels. One of them is Rosewood São Paulo, located in the Cidade Matarazzo complex of preserved 2th century buildings in the city center. It features two swimming pools, three restaurants and a bar. The hotel's 160 rooms and suites in 6 categories have a minimum size of 43m² and are located either in the modern vertical park tower or the historical part of the building. They are equipped with king beds, 43-inch screen build-in mirror television, WiFi, coffee & tea amenities and a personal mixology kit. The spacious marble bathrooms have a rain shower and, in higher room categories, a tub. The suites also include a personalized butler service.
Marriott also announced the opening of their first hotel in the city, JW Marriott Hotel São Paulo, at Parque da Cidade in the city center. It features 258 rooms and suites in 8 categories, starting at a size of 38m². They are equipped with king or double beds, coffee & tea service, mini fridge and 55-inch LCD TV. The hotel also features an Italian-Brazilian restaurant, an indoor pool, a fitness center and a spa. 
Please contact us for more information.
Picture credit: Rosewood Hotel Group / Marriott International

In July, Barranquilla Marriott Hotel will open its doors on the north side of Colombia's Carnival city at the Caribbean coast. The hotel's contemporary design manages to reflect Barranquilla's lively atmosphere while still conveying a calming comfort to make guests feel at home. Marriott wants to give its visitors an opportunity to experience local culture through unique food and drink offers, such as a coffee ritual at Meira Café or a rum tasting bar. The restaurant Amira will serve classic and contemporary wood fire-grilled and spit-roasted meats as well as fresh seafood. There is also a fitness center and an outdoor pool. The hotel's 191 rooms and suites are divided into four categories, including a club level with club lounge access. The room size varies between 29-59m ²; the presidential suite measures 126m ². All rooms are equipped with 1 King or 2 Queen beds, a mini fridge, WiFi and a 55in LCD TV, while the suites have a separate living room. The club lounge access includes complimentary food, such as a midday snack, afternoon tea and grab & go snacks throughout the day. Golf fans have the option to play the 18-hole golf course at the nearby Barranquilla Country Club (extra cost). 
Please contact our team to request details about the new Marriott Hotel Barranquilla or the destination itself!
Picture credit: Marriott International