A spectacular new railway journey in Ecuador, developers threaten the beauty of the Grand Canyon, plus your tales of holiday romance gone wrongEscapismA multi-million-dollar restoration of Ecuador's railways has seen panoramic carriages added to the service on a spectacular 13km stretch, pictured, called the Devil's Nose. You'll get a great view along the steep, zigzagging track that links the High Andes with the coast. Tickets cost $25 and can be bought from Alausi train station.Grand Canyon development threatThe beauty of the Grand Canyon is under threat from plans for a massive tourist complex close to the natural wonder.An Italian developer wants to put hotels, restaurants, shops, spas, conference, "edutainment" and cultural centres and a tourist ranch within a mile of the main entrance to the Grand Canyon national park in northern Arizona.The 150-hectare development would transform Tusayan ? now just a small strip of hotels with a population of 550.The plan has been approved by Tusayan's town council, three of whose five members are linked to the developer or its partners. The developer promises new housing, jobs and money for schools.American environmental groups, the national park leadership, Native American groups and local media are largely opposed to the plan. They say that the development on privately-owned forest will bring pollution, noise, traffic and new roads. But the principal concern could also prove the biggest hurdle ? water supply.State regulators have given Stilo Development Group USA, a consortium led by the Italian developer Percassi, until August to explain how they'd provide water.Tusayan mayor Greg Bryan confirmed the link between himself and two other councillors and the developer or its partners, but insisted: "It could be construed that there may be some influence [from the developer], but all I can tell you is there is not."Joanna WaltersWhat's newWebsiteNew website latelettings.com has last-minute deals on cottages in the UK. This weekend, for example, we found Braemar, sleeping six in Croyde, Devon for �350 for seven nights.DealSeven nights at the Coconut Court Beach Hotel in Barbados is going for �795pp (20% off normal price) with Hayes & Jarvis (0844 415 1918, only available over the phone, hayesandjarvis.co.uk), including Gatwick flights. Departs 18 June.HotelThought only Japan and Latin America had love hotels? A new service finds hotels in the UK, Europe and US with daytime room rental to store luggage, use as an office or for "lovers seeking discreet encounters". Rooms are available for 3 to 7 hours, at less than nightly rates (dayuse-hotels.com).Tweet ur trip: Holiday romance gone wrongNext week: happy holiday romance stories!Tweet us @GuardianTravel #TravelCorkboardHotelsEcuadorguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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