Blog
Keep Up With The Latest
When you travel with LANDED, our team of travel experts and network of local contacts are at your service. We’ll handle the details, freeing you to savor the moments.
Peruvian Chocolate: AJ Wildey & El Cacaotal
American ex-pat AJ Wildey shares her love for Peruvian chocolate with the world. Learn about her story from her perspective in this episode of the LANDED Podcast.
Boena Lodges
Luz and Roberto are the team behind Boena—a collection of iconic wilderness lodges in Costa Rica. Learn about their story from their perspective in this podcast.
Pasha Private Villa
Pasha is a private estate in the surf town of Santa Teresa. Featuring 10 ensuite bedrooms, Pasha is the perfect option for your extended family or group of friends to enjoy Costa Rica. Pasha is composed of the main house and three separate villas, all overlooking the Costa Rican jungle.
Private Villas in the Galapagos
Montemar private villas are located in a 43-acres private reserve in Santa Cruz Island. These fully sustainable villas were born out of the love for protecting the natural habitat of the Galapagos Giant Tortoise. Reyna and Roberto, owners and hosts of Montemar villas, are also top naturalist guides.
The Aqua Mare
The 16-passenger Aqua Mare superyacht was launched in June 2022 and it operates exclusively within the Galapagos Islands. This vessel has quickly become one of our favorites on the islands. The Galapagos Aqua Mare carries a crew of 16, including two naturalist guides. This ensures a one-on-one bespoke service to explore the islands and the highest crew-to-guest ratio in the Galapagos.
Sailing Peru’s Amazon: Aqua Expeditions
I’ve been coming to the Amazon for more than 20 years, and it continually surprises. The wildlife, the weather, the seasons make each visit unique and special. On this trip, I was welcomed aboard the Aria, a small-scale cruiser based in Iquitos. The Aria is more than a luxury vessel; it is a floating base for wildlife observation, cultural engagement, and excursions on the river and into the forest. The mobility of these cruises broadens your reach, expanding the range of wildlife and habitats.
Islas Secas Travel Album
Islas Secas is a private island retreat on the Pacific Coast of the Panamanian province of Chiriqui. We loved our time at Islas Secas. This album shows some of the reasons why.
Isla Palenque Travel Album
Isla Palenque Resort is a private island retreat on the Pacific Coast of the Panamanian province of Chiriqui. We loved our time at Isla Palenque. This album shows some of the reasons why.
The Magic of Ibitipoca
Ibitipoca is part social experiment, part environmental restoration project, appropriately seasoned with simple comforts and genuine pleasures. After days of rest, riding, paddle boarding, waterfall showers, and exploring, I sat down with Ibitipoca’s ringleader, Renato Machado, and General Manager Nadja Hoffman to try and process what makes this place so worthwhile.
Inhotim Family Travel Album
Here at LANDED, family travel is a big part of our story. We’ve traveled far and wide with our kids in tow, and provide unique parent-to-parent insights on the journey.
Monteverde Lodge
Nestled in the misty Tilaran Mountains at 4,662 feet above sea level, Monteverde is one of Costa Rica’s premier wildlife viewing destinations. Clouds sweep the slope here, nourishing thick forests of towering trees, lianas, bromeliads, ferns, and orchids. Living jewels reward the sharp-eyed and the patient: trogons, motmots, hummingbirds, butterflies, and poison dart frogs. Monteverde Cloud Forest is also Costa Rica’s original inland adventure capital. One of our favorite bases for exploring this region is Monteverde Lodge, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Roberto Fernandez and Luz Cacares.
The Best Cruises in the Galapagos
Are you ready to plan your next vacation to the Galapagos? Most Galapagos cruises span 7-nights, although we can arrange 3-night, 4-night, and 5-night options. We’ve been visiting the Galapagos since 2005. Since then, we’ve planned, arranged, and managed countless trips to the islands for families and groups of all kinds. LANDED offers a larger view; we provide thoughtful, honest guidance on the pros and cons of each cruise and private charter option.
The Best Hotels in the Galapagos
Are you ready to plan your next vacation to the Galapagos? LANDED compiled a list of the best hotels and lodges in the Galapagos Islands. Whether you’re seeking all the comforts of a full-service hotel, or the rustic solitude of safari tent cabins, we’ll help you find the perfect fit. LANDED’s team of experts knows the Galapagos first hand and by heart.
Panatanal Travel Album
LANDED knows the best guides, experiences, and lodge options in the Pantanal. We can arrange your air travel, touring, and accommodations throughout Brazil and across Central America & South America.
Calanoa
Calanoa is located in a private reserve just across the Peruvian border, in the Colombian portion of the Amazon rainforest. This location, between Amacayacu National Nature Park and the river Island of Mocagua, provides guests with access to a wide range of Amazonian biomes: river, streams and lakes; floodplains; and high-altitude forest. The area’s topography allows you to encounter extraordinary diversity in flora and fauna.
Belmond Rio Sagrado
Rio Sagrado, a Belmond Hotel, is set beside the Urubamba River toward the northern end of the Sacred Valley. The hotel provides an excellent environment for acclimatizing, and can serve as a comfortable base for explorations of the Sacred Valley and day trips to Machu Picchu.
EcoCamp Patagonia
EcoCamp Patagonia is a sustainable, all-dome hotel within the limits of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. The camp’s facilities include a main dome, a yoga & wellness dome, and four categories of geodesic-dome rooms. The structures are linked by an elevated wooden boardwalk.
Punta Islita
Punta Islita is an eco-luxury beach resort in Costa Rica. Hotel Punta Islita was designed for adventurers who wish to discover Costa Rica’s authentic experiences in a private, secluded destination, offering a special combination of jungle and beach. As part of its commitment to the environment, Punta Islita supports an array of local environmental and community initiatives.
Xandari Costa Rica
Originally a collaboration between architect Sherrill Broudy and his wife Charlene (an artist and designer)–Xandari (pronounced “zan-darry”) combines vibrant art and sweeping geometry among lush gardens. Since our first visit in 2005, Xandari has maintained its position as a soulful favorite in the San Jose area; it is the opposite of concrete tower airport hotels.
elcielo Hotel Medellin
elcielo Hotel in Medelliín is the creation of famed Colombian chef Juan Manuel Barrientos Valencia. Located in the heart of the trendy El Poblado neighborhood, this boutique hotel combined Juanma’s creativity, eye for design, and guest service experience.
Arenal Kioro
Overlooking the Arenal Volcano, Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa is located just ten minutes from the town of La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The hotel offers 27 acres of green countryside, near La Palma and Kioro streams, gardens, and on-site thermal pools.
Medellin Family Travel Album
LANDED knows the best guides, experiences, and hotel options in Medellin. We can arrange your air travel, touring, and accommodations throughout Colombia and across Central America & South America.
Cali Family Travel Album
LANDED knows the best guides, experiences, and hotel options in Cali. We can arrange your air travel, touring, and accommodations throughout Colombia and across Central America & South America.
Faena Hotel Buenos Aires
Located in the heart of Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, Faena is a colorful, exciting, and eclectic luxury hotel that’s been voted one of the top five hotels in Argentina by Condé Nast readers. The hotel was opened in 2004 and was designed by Philippe Starck. The hotel seeks to merge art, culture, entertainment, architecture, and cutting-edge technology into its design. Faena started a cultural renaissance and artistic rejuvenation of the Puerto Madero neighborhood. Faena also transformed and refurbished Puerto Madero’s abandoned port.
Azur Real Hotel Boutique
Located in the historic center of Cordoba City, the Azur Hotel is designed to express the city’s unique charms. The hotel is located within walking distance of the city’s historic quarter highlights. For LANDED clients considering a short stay in Cordoba (perhaps on the way to or from a riding adventure in the Sierra) this is one of our favorite options.
Waldorf Astoria Panama
Waldorf Astoria Panama is surrounded by the shopping and nightlife of Calle de Uruguay, and only 15 minutes away from Panama City’s historic quarter—the Casco Viejo. The hotel features an award-winning spa, concierge service, and a complimentary shuttle, running within two kilometers.
Rio Celeste Hideaway
Rio Celeste is a small resort-style and ecologically conscious hotel that seeks to provide a unique experience. The hotel is located just an hour’s drive from the Arenal Volcano area and 90 minutes from the Liberia airport. Nestled within one of the untouched rainforests of Costa Rica, Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel is located in a secluded rainforest adjacent to the Tenorio Volcano National Park, which boasts the breathtaking Rio Celeste River, from which the hotel takes its name.
Sofitel Montevideo
Located in the beachfront Carrasco district in Montevideo, the Sofitel Montevideo offers beach views just 5 minutes away from the Montevideo airport. The hotel is 20 minutes away, by car from downtown Montevideo. Carrasco is a great option for travelers interested in walking on the beach, walking along the coast, and restaurants.
El Castillo Boutique Hotel
El Castillo Boutique Hotel at Puntarenas, Costa Rica, is Bocas Bali sister resort. This nine-room, adult-only luxury hotel is perched 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean, offering views of South Pacific Costa Rica. Located in Ojochal, a village at the southern end of Costa Ballena, you won’t find high rises, shopping malls, or traffic congestion. Instead, the area has clean mountain air, world-class ocean waves, and hundreds of square miles of diverse jungle.
Casa Suaya
Casa Suaya is located just outside the town of Jose Ignacio, on Uruguay’s eastern shore. The retreat offers direct access to Playa Brava. From here, you can bike to the center of town in about 10 minutes. José Ignacio was once a fishing village. Now, it’s known internationally as low-key coastal retreat. Visitors are drawn to Jose Ignacio seasonally (primarily between November and February) by its world-class restaurants, nightlife, and easy elegance. Nearby, you’ll find vineyards, art studios, lagoons, and golden beaches.