The hotel has several rooming optons, including:

» Superior Guest Room — Two double beds, living area, with a breezy private balcony hand tiled in ceramic, marble, and stone. Located in The Main House, with views to main entrance of hotel and some with views to a part of Archaeological Zone.

Junior Suites — Have a Jacuzzi; terrace has views to Observatory of Chichen Itza and of hotel gardens. These rooms are located in Main House, with two double beds, and private bathroom with tub. The rooms are tiled in ceramic, marble, and stone, There is a small living area within room.

» Master Suites — Spacious two bedroom suites with two double beds in each room. Amenities include a living room and private bathrooms with tubs. The room is hand tiled in ceramic, marble, and stone. Master Suites are located In The Main House, with a breezy private balcony.

» One Bedroom Deluxe — These rooms are built in traditional Mayan-style, with wood, stone, native marble, and thatch. In addition, each comes richly decorated with work of local artisans, with a shaded terrace and verandahs.

» Deluxe Bedroom — Clustered around secluded swimming pools, deluxe rooms were built with materials native to region — handsome hardwoods for which this part of world is known. These rooms are individual masterpieces, whose appointments are handpicked from work of local artisans, with generous use of rich, aged mahogany, and ethnic ceramics, textiles, and artwork. The doors are intricately carved with Mayan motifs — stained glass windows set rooms aglow with understated colors. Rocking chairs and hammocks await your pleasure on terrace.

» Deluxe Garden Bungalows — Built in traditional Maya-style with wood, stone, native marble, and thatch. In addition, each comes decorated with local artisan artwork. These have shaded terraces and verandahs.

The ambiance of hotel is something right out of Disneyland. Birds of all colors chirp and fly overhead beautifully manicured grounds. Enormous century old trees stand tall, shading hotel and restaurants. Shuttles run along lush path roadway which leads way to private bungalows, all with a hammock to laze around in after a day out at pyramids. Wild peacocks clearly own territory and take great pride in letting everyone know it as they spread their beautiful feathers.

During check-in I have opportunity to sit down and speak with hotel’s public relations representative, Quincy. The two of us are into a discussion about pyramids and how they were founded by a Mayan priest, la Qin Chan, in 15th century. He explains to me how Chichen Itza is a place of magic, spirituality, and mystery, which is taken very seriously by Mayan people. He went on to say, (without my lead) that many tourists come to Chichen Itza to climb pyramids. Apparently this lack of respect for structures is upsetting to many Mayans who watch their historic kingdom trampled upon by a pair of Nikes visiting for day. I remember him mocking how mankind feels need to “conquer” everything put in our path instead of appreciating and respecting from a distance. A clear view of Caracol Observatory catches my eye, provoking a greater and deeper interest in ruins, but now in a very different way.

Lunch that day is in an open courtyard restaurant. The authentic Yucatan - style buffet is crowded by hungry guests, young and old. A nice surprise during meal is traditional native Mayan dancers. The women wear “Hipiles” an embroidered Mayan dress that takes approximately one month to make. They sing, dance, stomp their feet, and balance bottles in trays on their heads as we all clap and sing along.

The hotel also operates main lobby bar and a restaurant overlooking pool, as well as a poolside bar and grill. Three huge palapas are also within grounds designed for large groups and special events. The palapas can hold between 25-400 people.

Stuffed from lunch it is time to explore Chichen Itza!

Read this entire feature FREE with photos at http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/adventure/mexico/mayaland/mayaland.html

By Joanna Neibler - Jetsetters Magazine Editor - at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Vast tracts of rainforest wilderness veined with large, pristine river systems attract adventure travelers, birdwatchers, and scientists from all over world. Popular destinations are Brownsberg Nature Park, Central Suriname Nature Reserve and Galibi Nature Reserve, all managed by STINASU, Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname.

Visitors to Brownsberg, a plateau overlooking Van Blommenstein lake created by construction of hydro-electric Afobaka dam, are often awakened by eerie "hooooos" of howler monkeys. Even though you know they're monkeys, sound can be so deafening if they are close that it will raise hair on back of your neck.

Fungu Island, in middle of Coppename River - best reached by a twin-engine bush plane - is headquarters to Central Suriname Nature Reserve, designated a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. The island, surrounded by Raleigh waterfalls complex, is known as largest bird bonanza of South America. Dr. Jim Thorsell (who has reviewed World Heritage Natural Site nominations for IUCN since 1985 and has visited 600 parks in over 100 countries), describes CSNR as "the most pristine tropical protected area in world."

The beach at Galibi Nature Reserve, a rich coastal habitat, is a nesting ground for five species of endangered sea turtles. Environmentalists and marine turtle biologists frequently visit research station at Babunsanti. Luckily - for turtles - this beautiful Atlantic beach is only accessible by boat and too far from capital to be a viable vacation spot.

Traveling a few hours up Suriname River from Paramaribo, you can visit Jodensavanne, site of remains of new world's only autonomous Jewish agrarian community. In late 1600s Sephardic Jews migrated to Dutch Guiana to escape Inquisition. A Dutch-influenced geometrical town plan surrounded by sugar plantations included open roads to synagogue from all four sides, surprising in a time of peril from rival European powers, runaway slaves and Amerindians. The central brick ruin is of synagogue itself, Bracha veShalom.

In mid-1700s, local political upheaval and decrease in value of cane sugar caused Jodensavanne's decline and eventual abandonment. Two overgrown cemeteries remain, each containing hundreds of European-made bluestone marble grave markers, some elaborately illustrated despite prohibition by Jewish law. A third "freeholder's cemetery" of hand-crafted wood with African sankofa symbols and concrete grave markers is rapidly decaying.

In past four years, Jodensavanne has joined such notable locations as Machu Picchu on World Heritage list of "One Hundred Most Endangered Sites."

Yes, there are malarial mosquitoes in interior (not in Paramaribo), but long-sleeved shirts, bug repellent and a good malaria prophylactic will provide protection. There are exceptionally few reported cases of malaria among visitors to Suriname.

Suriname is located on coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, and above Brazil. On edge of vast Amazon basin, Suriname is a country with a combination of remoteness, history, and relative inaccessibility that has left this nation with both highest percentage of rainforest cover and one of lowest population densities on Earth. Diverse culture, historic attractions, pristine rainforest, and a spicy, Asian-influenced cuisine will delight traveler who makes effort to visit Suriname. - Read Jetsetters Magazine feature on Guyana Ecotourism. - Read Jetsetters Magazine Feature on Guyana's new jungle preserve.

A steady stream of leaf-cutter ants crosses our path as we climb steps carved into side of hill from Suriname River to Jodensavanne. We are in broad savanna that separates northeast corner of Amazon basin from coastal plain of Guyana Shield..

The Suriname River snakes through rainforest of Suriname to Atlantic Ocean. Several kilometers upriver from capital of Paramaribo lie ruins of Jodensavanne, near Cassipoera Creek. For years, voracious jungle has crowded brick ruins of Jodensavanne's Jewish synagogue, Bracha veShalom (Blessing and Peace), constructed in 1685. In 1999 Jodensavanne was added to world monuments list of "100 Most Endangered Sites" by World Monuments Watch, a global program launched four years earlier to call attention to critically imperiled cultural heritage sites and direct financial support to their preservation. Other notable sites on list are Peru's Machu Picchu and Ancient Pompeii in Naples, Italy.

Read this entire feature FREE with photos at http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/globe02/samerica/suriname/switi/switi.html

By Carolyn Proctor - Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent - at www.jetsettersmagazine.com