BestBeds...Curated Places to Sleep

Lindbald/National Geographic Endeavor II, Galapagos, Ecuador

Lindblad/National Geographic Endeavor II

Galapagos, Ecuador

Let’s face it you are not traveling on Lindblad for the ship. The biggest draw of their expeditions are the naturalists. They are knowledgeable, informed and fun. But I review places to sleep… this moving base camp is a surprisingly wonderful spot to lay your head. The cabins are comfortable, not huge but with more space than I was expecting. All are outside facing with private bathrooms, tons of hot water, hair dryers and usb ports. They are well designed with space to tuck bags under the bed, a closet with drawers in which to put stuff, bedside tables, a desk and hooks. The bed was comfortable for two, right in front of a big window. Nice as it was, I spent very little time in my cabin. There is just too much else to do. Go on every excursion, attend every lecture and eat every meal. All are amazing. The boat is nimble and maneuverable with a very shallow draft so gets quite close to shore. There is a large open air observation deck where we gathered for drinks, watched the sun set, observed bird life (and a whale), hung out and had a special barbeque dinner. The indoor forward lounge had cocktails & canapes in the evening to review the day, learn what was up the next day and hear from experts. It was also a great spot for chilling during the day, grabbing a drink and watching the world go by. Meals were served in the dining room or on deck and were delicious. Tons of choices, locally sourced ingredients and special themes were all highlights. The focus of every trip is on expedition and education, and it is done extraordinarily well.  But the boat itself is also a lovely place to sleep.

 

Number of Rooms: 52 Cabins

 

Sweet Suite: The bridge deck suites #420 & #422…not the biggest, that’s the C suite which comes with a separate sitting room and twice the space. But you don’t spend much time in your cabin and these two have incredible floor to ceiling windows and larger bathrooms than the other cabins.

Favorite Thing: The wetsuit deck…I know, sounds very odd, but I was wowed by how well organized this area was…it is the perfect symbol of how smoothly and professionally the expeditions are handled. Once fitted for your wetsuit and snorkel gear, it is yours for the duration of the trip… you can access it anytime you need it, it dried overnight and made pre and post excursion stress free. It was all wonderfully efficient.

Near By: Penguins, blue footed boobies, mockingbirds, sea lions, giant tortoises, marine iguanas, albatross, mangroves, sharks, black lava beaches.

 

Amenities: Glass bottom boat, zodiacs, underwater cameras, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, snorkel equipment, wet suits, library, gift shop, open bridge, fitness centre, spa treatments, full time doctor, undersea specialist, video chronicler

 

Price: $$$

 

https://www.expeditions.com/about/fleet/national-geographic-endeavour-ii/

This is a Virtuoso Property. Book with me for VIP status and special amenities.

Interested? Sleep for
yourself!

Sleep around...

Let's get in bed together

Sign up to receive my quarterly newsletter filled with sleep around gossip and news