Paula Andrews of La Puente is headed...

Paula Andrews of La Puente is headed for Scotland, wants the name of a reasonable hotel near Loch Lomond. I’d try the Crinan. About 80 miles north of Glasgow. Not cheap, but not out of sight, either. Figure on about $65 for a room with breakfast. Cheery, relaxed atmosphere. Ask your travel agent to book you into the Crinan Hotel, Argyll PA31 8SR, Scotland. Another in the Scottish Highlands: Creag Dhu Hotel. Faces Loch Linnhe. Food is excellent. This is a popular spot, reasonable. About $30 for a double. Creag Dhu, Onich, Fort William, Inverness-shire, Scotland.

Spain/Portugal

It’s hard to beat the deal offered by Iberia Airlines if you’re tripping off to Spain/Portugal. For only a buck a week they’ll give you a car with unlimited mileage. Iberia calls it “the greatest travel bargain of the year,” and who’s to argue? Only one condition: You must fly Iberia from New York, Miami or Boston to Europe. Offer is good any day of the week. Cars available in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Torremolinos, Santiago de Compostela, Valencia, Palma de Majorca, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Alicante, Seville, Lanzarote, Las Palmas, Lisbon, Faro and Porto. Iberia works the deal with Kemwel. The car rental is combined with Kemwel’s Hotelpak accommodations. A choice of more than 400 hotels/resorts. Vouchers ($29 per person) must be purchased before departure. Accommodations for the first night are booked in advance. After this each hotel assists with ongoing bookings. Contact your travel agent, Iberia, or call Kemwel toll-free (800) 468-0468.

San Clemente Boat Trip

For $49 you can do an overnight cruise to San Clemente Island April 20. Boat leaves the 22nd Street landing in San Pedro at 1 a.m., you’re back that evening about 6 o’clock. This is a refurbished sportfishing boat. She’ll cruise along the shoreline of San Clemente for bird watching, glimpses of ocean life. A couple of naturalists on board will make dives with video gear. Pictures will be transmitted to a screen for passenger viewing. One of the naturalists, Bob Johnson, is chief aquarist for the museum. He and his cohort, Lloyd Ellis, will attempt to lure sharks close to the boat. The “Jaws” episode is part of the action. For reservations telephone the Cabrillo Marine Museum, (213) 831-0062.

Mini-Bus/Britain

Tony Cole-Hamilton is an ex-Royal Navy officer who’s given up the sea in favor of steering a minibus for visitors in Britain. His converted rig sleeps four. Tony will take you wherever you wish to go (you plan the itinerary or leave it up to him). Tony does all the cooking, buys farm-fresh produce. There’s a refrigerator on board, a gas cooker, shaver socket, hot shower. All the amenities of an inn. Even the drinks are occasionally on the house. “Unless someone’s a real guzzler,” says Tony. His rig hires out at $150 a day. Add $5 per passenger. In the U.S. you can contact Tony’s daughter, Sue Garra, 627 Moran St., Reno, Nev. 89502, telephone (702) 786-8467, or write to Tony direct, 56 Alleyn’s Road, Stevenage, Herts SG1 3PP, England.

Narrow-Gauge Rail

A July trip to Colorado and New Mexico by the Pacific Railroad Society is in the works. Passengers will travel on the Narrow Gauge Railroad between Durango and Silverton, Colo. Later they’ll take a steam-powered trip on New Mexico’s Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, traveling over the legendary San Juan Express route up Cumbres Pass to Toltec Gorge. They’ll spend the night at the Narrow Gauge Railroad Inn in Antonio. Next stop, Santa Fe, then on to Albuquerque to board the westbound Chief for the return to Los Angeles. This is a six-day trip. Starts July 3. Pickups in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Pomona, San Bernardino. Fares start at $545. The same trip repeats Oct. 9-14. Contact the Pacific Railroad Society, P.O. Box 2858, Riverside 92516-2858, or telephone (714) 684-7458.

Deal of the Year

This has to be the season’s best buy. Fifteen days in Greece, $249. Includes visits to Athens plus three islands. Shelter in “tourist-class hotels,” breakfast daily. Transportation by ferries to the islands. You get a choice: Mykonos, Paros, Naxos or Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos. Trips are programmed for the “free spirit.” Get in touch with Love Holidays, 5530 Corbin Ave., Tarzana 91356. Telephone (818) 345-7741 or (213) 873-7991. This same tour operator is offering a 16-day cruise by motor sailing yacht along Yugoslavia’s Adriatic Coast, $1,698. Includes meals, air fare from Los Angeles.

New Zealand by Mini-van

New Zealanders John Rennie and Ferdi Wielerga quit their jobs, bought a mini-van and went into the tour business. (“Haven’t looked back a moment since,” says John.) They aim at travelers “tired of being bunched up in big buses and being herded around like sheep.” Their van carries nine passengers. The boys provide individual attention. “If anyone sees an interesting road, off we go,” says John. No irritating timetable. The boys also own a private hotel, the Sunkist Lodge. Write to them c/o Sunkist Tours Ltd., P.O. Box 38-485, Howick, Auckland, New Zealand. They’ll pick you up at your hotel in Auckland and take you wherever the heart desires.

Korea Revisit Program

Last Sunday an incorrect telephone number was published for the Korea Revisit Program Center, which is assisting with arrangements for a free five-day tour of Korea by veterans of the Korea police action. The correct number is (213) 483-3197. Although land arrangements in Korea will be complimentary, veterans must pay for their own air fare. For other details, contact the Korea Revisit Program Center, 1650 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90017.

Reader Recommendations

Fiji--John and Inge Granzow, Santa Monica: “For a few days in a remote and beautiful South Seas setting away from the tourist hotels, we recommend the Hot Springs Hotel in Savu Savu on the island of Vanua Levu. A former TraveLodge. Rooms are pleasant. View is beautiful. Reasonable.”

France--Wendy Jenkins, San Juan Capistrano: “Recommend the lovely three-star Floride Etoile, 14 Rue Saint Didier, 75116 Paris, France. Quiet neighborhood. Rooms have bath, TV and refrigerator. The cost is $42 for a double. A cheaper two-star hotel with an excellent location that is squeaky clean is the Hotel Odessa, 28 Rue d’Odessa, 75014 Paris, France. A double with private bath is about $20.”

France--H. Samow, Malibu: “Enjoyed the Hotel Chevalier d’Assas, 18 Ave. D’Assas, 34000 Montpellier, France. Room rates range from $42 to $50 per night for two people.”

Ireland--Jane Helm, Ventura: Recommends the Ballykilty farmhouse, Coolgreany, Arklow, County Wicklow, Ireland. “An Old World farmhouse, easy access to many sandy beaches on the east coast. Riding, golf, etc. Three bedrooms with hot and cold water and central heating. Home cooking and baking with fresh vegetables from the garden.”

England--W. Benson Harer Jr., San Bernardino: “Cut out an item in your column a couple of years ago to save when we went to London. Stayed in an apartment and could not have been more pleased. Worth mentioning again. Address: 202 Luxury Service Apartments, 202 Kensington Church St., London W8 4DP. Also a marvelous little French restaurant, the Ark, is just behind and the Swan pub on the ground floor is recommended too.”

England--Myrtle Whitford, Pasadena: Recommends the English Literature Summer Schools, 10 Victoria Road, Broomhall Park, Sheffield 10, England. “I enjoyed this--it’s special.”

Culver City--Pete Simmel, Culver City: “When traveling abroad, take along a photostat of the second page of your passport, also two extra pictures. This will expedite and facilitate obtaining a replacement when your passport is lost or stolen.”