Today’s
sophisticated traveller is looking for a unique experience when on a trip. This,
translates into not only visiting a destination and staying in a nice resort,
more importantly it means having the opportunity to enjoy a different view of
life, having a chance to see the world with different eyes. In order to make
this experience complete, there are several aspects that must be
fulfilled: the hospitality establishment should be unique, preferably, it
should have a “sense of place” which I would translate into being in a unique
location and at the same time having its own personality, a special charm that
makes you feel at home while at the same time providing a degree of surprise
and astonishment. The other specific factor is that you have an opportunity to
experience the way that your hosts live, and this is achieved only if you stay
in a small hotel, where you actually have the opportunity to interact with the
owners and other members of the community.
There are
many different places where you can find these unique properties. Many small inns,
bed and breakfasts and hotels in the old world provide this kind of experience.
There is no doubt that if you are visiting Prague or Budapest, for example, the
experience of staying in an inn or bed and breakfast in the old city exceeds
that of doing so in a modern high rise hotel on the outskirts of town, where
you will not have a chance to walk the streets, meet the people, dine in the
small eateries that they do and visit their bars and pubs.
The same is
true for all of Latin America . You can choose
between staying in a modern facility with a known franchise name, such as
Sheraton, Hyatt or Marriott, or you can decide in favour or small bed and
breakfasts or inns in pleasant old colonial homes with a character to
themselves. The difference between the two is so vast, that they are actually
worlds apart!
When it
comes to seeking a spot in a rural area, the same is true. The question is how do
you find these unique, special, fantastic little hotels and inns in a truly
outstanding location, which comply with our definition of “sense of place”?
A group of
small hotels in Latin America, all of which understand the concept of “sense of
place” have gotten together to market themselves under the umbrella of “My
Unique Places” Each and everyone of these properties has been carefully hand
picked, and all of those that have been included are proud bearers of the My
Unique Places badge. The founding members of this truly unique boutique hotels partnership
are Mr. Carlos Barberis, owner and manager of the Casa del Bosque, located in
the Argentine Patagonia (www.casadelbosque.com),
Flavia Cueva, owner and manager of the world renown Hacienda San Lucas in the
lovely town of Copan Ruinas, Honduras (www.haciendasanlucas.com) and Anna
McVittie, from the charming Cocolobo resort in Roatan, Honduras (www.cocolobo.com).
Other members are from the countries of Argentina ,
Uruguay , Peru , Costa Rica ,
Guatemala and Honduras La Villa de Soledad, located in
the Cangrejal River
Valley , (www.lavilladesoledad.com) just 5 miles from the City of La
Ceiba
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