HOTEL NEWS

Quito opens new luxury design boutique hotel   

On Friday 22 July, a brand new sustainable luxury boutique hotel opened in the heart of the bustling historic district of Quito, the capital of Ecuador located in a renovated house built at the turn of the century. This authentic hotel called “The Carlota” boasts 12 individual rooms, a bistro offering fresh local delicacies, and a roof top lounge from which guests can enjoy a drink overlooking the city's landmarks. The hotel is conveniently located minutes away from important tourist sites such as: the 'Plaza Grande', 'La Mariscal', 'Iglesia Santo Domingo' and the vibrant 'La Ronda' district where tourists can find numerous restaurants, bars and markets. One night in a standard double room at the Carlota is priced from £130 based on two people sharing. www.carlota.ec/en

Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel completes renovations

Luxury hotel Sumaq Machu Picchu located on the outskirts of the Machu Picchu site near the Vilcanota River has completed the renovation of its guests rooms and public spaces, evoking historic Peruvian and Andean themes and symbols while featuring world class modern amenities such as a luxury spa and restaurant serving local dishes.

The inspiration for the refurbishment project centres on the Chakana, the Andean cross whose arms symbolise the four elements of nature: fire, water, earth and air. One night in the hotel is priced from £368 per night based on two people sharing a standard double room including breakfast and dinner. www.machupicchuhotels-sumaq.com/

TOUR OPERATOR NEWS

Llama Travel introduces two new tours to its portfolio of holidays

Llama Travel has launched a new five day Bolivia itinerary beginning in La Paz and visiting must-see sights such as the Witches Market and Plaza Murillo before moving on to Uyuni, the largest salt flats in the world. Highlights of the holiday also include visits to the train cemetery, the extinct Tunupa Volcano and the Coquesa Mummies, as well as the ancient temple ruins of Twanaku. The tour is priced from £1,399 including flights and accommodation.

Llama Travel has also redesigned its 14 day Best of Colombia holiday which will be sold from January 2017 as the Treasures of El Dorado adding new destinations to the experience such as Medellin and Lake Guatavita. The holiday also travels to the coffee region for guests to learn about Colombia's coffee plantation, features a stopover in Bogota and a tour to the colonial town of Villa de Leyva before ending in Cartagena. Prices of the tour start from £1,999. www.llamatravel.com

Metropolitan Touring launches new Galapagos Island Holiday

Metropolitan Touring has introduced a new eight day Island2Island programme offering travellers an island safari-style trip combining stays at the newly renovated Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz and Isabela's Scalesia Lodge. The trip includes tours of Santa Cruz and Isabela Island as well as day trips to neighbouring isles and, a 30 minute flight from Baltra to Isabela, offering stunning views of the active volcano, walking amongst a group of Galapagos penguins and spotting hordes of white-tipped reef sharks. The holiday is priced from £3,030 and includes inter-island flights and local Galapagos transfers, accommodation, meals and all activities. http://www.finchbayhotel.com/island-hopping-tours-galapagos-8-days/

New 4X4 holiday of the west Falkland Islands with Kelpers tours

Kelpers has inaugurated a new 4X4 tour of the lesser known western Falkland Islands. For seven days, travellers will tour the west coast with founders of Kelpers and local islanders Peter and Shelly Nightingale to discover areas still unspoilt by tourism and staying in self-catering accommodation along the way. Falkland Islands Holidays can arrange for the tour to start in Darwin House in the east Falklands close to the international airport and from there travel to the west for a four day tailored trip of the island with the Nightingales. Prices of the holiday are available upon request. www.falklandislandsholidays.com

New fixed combination departures in Peru with Amazonas Explorer

Amazonas Explorer has launched Peru's first ever fixed combination departure system allowing guests to choose from ten fixed departures per week.

Travellers can chose from three once-in-a-lifetime treks: a five day Inca Trail through the Sun Gate to the ancient site of Machu Picchu, or a five or two day Lares and km 104 Inca Trail trek, an alternative hike to reach the ruins that takes guests away from the tourist crowds. The hikes can be combined with three day acclimatisation packages such as hiking, multisport or rafting down the Apurimac River. Prices are available upon request and all holidays depart every Saturday from March to December. www.amazonasexplorer.com    

Silversea revises 2017 itineraries aboard Silver Galapagos

Luxury cruise company Silversea has made exciting revisions to its 2017 itineraries aboard Silver Galapagos sailing from 25 March 2017 onward.

Guests aboard the western itineraries will embark in San Cristobal, the easternmost island on the Galapagos archipelago and will tour around the island of Leon Dormido where travellers will be able to admire the rich natural wildlife of the Galapagos Islands including land iguanas, flamingos and sea turtles.  The north-central itineraries now boast a tour around Daphne Island to spot the famous blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, red-billed tropicbirds, brown noddies and brown pelicans. Prices of the holiday start from £5,250 per person and include flights between Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, accommodation, National Park fees and guided tours. www.silversea.com

Trekking in the clouds with Rainbow Tours  

Rainbow Tours has launched a new north west Argentina Trekking to the Clouds holiday that combines Buenos Aires with the striking landscapes around Salta in the northwest.

The 12 day trip includes a challenging trek along an old Inca trail, beginning at San Antonio de los Cobres with views towards Quebrada del Roro and the snowy peaks of Mount San Miguel and Acay. The trek reaches a peak altitude of 3,418 metres and includes three nights camping along the route before returning to Salta. The trek has set departure dates on selected dates between September and December 2016. The tour is priced from £2,460 per person based on two adults sharing and includes international flights, accommodation, transfers and activities. www.rainbowtours.co.uk/tours/argentina/north-west-argentina-trekking-to-the-clouds

AIRLINE NEWS

New routes with LATAM Airlines

From December 6 2016 until 25 February 2017, leading Latin American airline LATAM Airlines will operate a twice-weekly service between Santiago and Puerto Natales (via Punta Arenas), Patagonia departing Santiago on Saturday and Tuesday mornings and returning on Saturday and Tuesday afternoons offering convenient connections with international flights. Flight time is approximately three hours and a half.

From 15 December 2016, the LATAM Airlines Peru will begin operating three non-stop flights per week between Lima and Barcelona departing Lima on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings with a flight time of approximately 14 hours. Lima is one of LATAM Airlines's most important hubs offering onward connections throughout Peru. www.latamairlinesgroup.net

Air Europa upgrades business class on long haul fleet

Air Europa is now bolstering its Business Class on long haul flights, reconfiguring three Airbus 330 aeroplanes travelling of the Sao Paulo and New York routes with 24 new fully reclining “flat bed” seats. As well as increasing the business class capacity, the upgrade includes smart design improvements such as adjustable headrests and folding armrests, an individual entertainment system, three reading light positions, and a power outlet for charging laptops, tablets and other devices. www.aireuropa.com

OTHER NEWS

RMS St Helena set to sail on into 2017

The RMS St Helena, one of the last working Royal Mail Ships in the world, is to continue serving her remote South Atlantic island namesake until 1July 2017.

The RMS passenger and freight service will continue to operate between Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension Island with a voyage time of five days by sea between Cape Town and St Helena and three days from Ascension. Currently the RMS St Helena is the only regular means of access to the UK Overseas Territory of St Helena, and has been granted a year's grace whilst islanders wait for the start of commercial flights to the new St Helena Airport.

A return voyage from Cape Town to St Helena for shared two-berth cabin on A Deck starts from £2,228 per person (excluding flights). www.sthelenatourism.com.

-Ends-

The Latin America Travel Association (LATA) – is represented by Lotus.  For editorial and marketing enquiries, please contact Jules Ugo, Kate McWilliams or Lucy Keenan at Lotus– LATAPR@wearelotus.co.uk  0207 953 7470