Fodor's Expert Review Asa Wright Nature Centre Lodge

This hotel, an hour's drive from the nearest beach or town, is designed for serious bird-watchers and is surrounded by 200 acres of wilderness, streams, waterfalls, and natural pools. Those seeking to really get away from it all will find this mountain retreat the perfect choice, but the average traveler may find the isolation a bit much. From a veranda overlooking the Arima Valley, you can sip a cup of tea (or delicious homegrown coffee) while hummingbirds dart around your head. Rooms in outlying bungalows are simple but adequate; those in the main house are a bit grander and furnished with period furniture but can be noisy. Meals are taken communally in the large dining room, which allows guests to exchange bird stories over good, basic food. Well-behaved kids over eight are welcome, but the lack of TV or child-oriented activities might prove too much for young minds to bear.