Tom and Helen King of the Babbling...

Tom and Helen King of the Babbling Brook Inn at Santa Cruz have a virulent case of the Christmas spirit. A note from the Kings warns that it’s contagious. “The old-fashioned wooden wheelbarrow at our front door is already filled with pumpkins and Indian corn. Hot pumpkin soup and hot spiced cider will be waiting for guests on chilly afternoons, and a plate of Helen’s freshly baked cookies will be on the cart as usual. Each of our rooms will have its own Christmas tree.”

The Babbling Brook (circa 1909) rises on an acre surrounded by gardens, pines, redwoods. A dozen rooms (some with fireplaces are offered at midweek rates of $75 a day plus tax (two-day minimum). Includes a country breakfast, wine in the evening, champagne and flowers in your room. The inn is an hour north of Monterey off California 1.

Babbling Brook Inn, 1025 Laurel St., Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060. Telephone (408) 427-2437.

Winter Olympics

Reserving accommodations for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, is going to be about as challenging as hitting the Lotto, but it’s not hopeless. Here are a couple of possibilities. Pathfinder Vacations will rent you a motor home in an RV park for $175 a day. These homes sleep up to six guests. Stereos, kitchens, linens, blankets, TVs. Some parks offer the use of saunas, whirlpools. When you fly into Calgary International Airport, Pathfinder will pick you up, deliver you to your motor home. For reservations call toll-free (800) 663-7848.

Meanwhile, Lavonne Miel of Los Angeles is renting rooms in her Calgary home. Rates ($50/$275) with shared bath seems a trifle steep, but with accommodations scarce it’s something to consider. Miel’s home is about 25 minutes from downtown Calgary. Cross-country skiing out the back door. A sauna and fireplace. Contact Miel, 12540 Braddock, No. 234, Los Angeles 90066, or telephone (213) 305-8770.

A Small Hotel

With the declining buying power of the dollar, hotels in London are expensive--but there are exceptions. A room at the little Westland Hotel on Bayswater Road will cost you 43 (about $78 U.S.) for a single, 53 ($96 U.S.) for a double. Less expensive rooms are available in the annex.

The Westland faces Kensington Gardens, which is adjacent to Hyde Park (a great place to jog). The hotel has been in the family of Chris and Bertie Isseyegh for 38 years. (I’ve been making it my London home since 1951). Clean, friendly, with a caring staff. Jimmy the porter will help you map out your tours, tell you all about bus schedules, the Underground, inexpensive restaurants. An unpretentious hotel at reasonable prices.

The Westland, 154 Bayswater Road, London W2 4HP. From the United States, telephone 011-44-1-229-9191.

French Riviera

The Hotel Martinez in Cannes was renovated, redecorated recently. This is one of the grand hotels on the French Riviera. Owned by the Champagne-producing Taittinger family, operators of the world-renowned Crillon Hotel in Paris. Rose Dosti, food writer for The Times, gives it high praise. She particularly enjoyed the restaurant, La Palme d’Or, and describes Richard Duvauchelle, the director, as “one of the friendliest Frenchmen you’ll ever meet.” Duvauchelle dropped by the other day to tell us about the hotel’s new spring rates. Six nights for about $500 per person (double occupancy) or $800 for a single. For a top hotel along the Riviera (faces La Croisette), it’s a good buy these days. The Martinez is a member of the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World, 6151 W. Century Blvd., Suite 402, Los Angeles 90045. Leading Hotels will mail you a brochure.

Bargain Hotels/France

Speaking of France, Jet Vacations (mentioned here last week in connection with Air Inter’s Le France Pass) has come up with another bargain called Flexi-Plan Hotels. For $30 per person (double occupancy) it covers hotels in Paris and Nice. Prices are even cheaper in Cannes ($25 per guest). This is for a room with private bath. Rates include a continental breakfast, taxes, service. Contact Jet Vacations toll-free at (800) 538-0999 or (213) 652-0999.

Acapulco

You can rent a four-bedroom villa in Acapulco for $260 a night, which figures out to $65 per couple. Each room with its own private bath. The villa is fully staffed. Cook, maid, laundress. Off-season rates (Easter through November) drop to $180 a night. A minimum seven-day rental is required during the high season, four days in the low season. For an extra $10/$12 per person a day the cook provides breakfast, lunch and a seven-course dinner. For reservations contact Earl and Shirley Jeansonne, 1213 Aurora Ave., Metairie, La. 70005, or telephone (504) 837-1121. Casa Rey Sol, with its swimming pool, faces the bay from a hilltop perch six blocks from the water.

Ski Package

A big celebration is going on this winter in Vail, Colo., which is commemorating its 25th anniversary. A five-night hotel package (including a four-day lift ticket) starts at $219 per person (double occupancy). Seven nights will cost you $257. At the same time, Beaver Creek Resort is doing seven-night packages with six-day lift tickets for $431. Or there’s a five-night (four-day lift ticket) priced from $304. Details from Vail Associates, Box 7, Vail, Colo. 81658, or call toll-free (800) VAIL--RES. To contact Beaver Creek, write to Central Reservations, P.O. Box 915, Avon, Colo. 81620, or telephone toll-free (800) 525-2257.

Massachusetts

A guide published by Massachusetts tells of 155 hotels, inns and B&Bs; with seasonal and year-round rates. Prices start at $28 a night for a snug hideaway in the Berkshires. A total of 350 packages throughout the state. Other sections deal with fairs, festivals, transportation. A map pinpoints cities, towns, villages across the state. Copies from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, 100 Cambridge St., 13th floor, Boston, Mass. 02202, or call toll-free (800) 892-MASS.

Reader Recommendations

Arizona--Frank and Sandy Suprenard, New Hampshire: “For real Western friendliness try Westways, a private mini-resort, P.O. Box 41624, Phoenix, Ariz. 85080. Rates from $39, including full breakfast.”

New Hampshire--Mr. and Mrs. L. Van Tatenhove, Irvine: “A jewel of a country inn, The Snowvillage, Snowvillage, N.H. 03849. In the White Mountains of New Hampshire just eight miles east of Conway. Quiet. Beautiful scenery. Hiking and tennis on clay courts in the summer, sledding, cross-country skiing in winter. Gourmet food. Rates are $130 a day per couple (modified American plan).”

France--Bill and Kris Sims, Encinitas: “We had a great apartment directly across from Notre Dame on the Left Bank. The room was $75 U.S. a day and was well appointed. Ray Lampard met us upon our arrival and set us up with a couple of bottles of wine, beer, milk and some fruit. He was helpful and made our stay quite pleasant. Contact Lampard, 10 Rue Nicolas Flamel, 75004 Paris, France.”

France--Suanee Gregg, Malibu: “In September I rented a cottage in the Bordeaux area. It was the best vacation I ever had. The countryside is breathtaking. The cottage itself had two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and garden for $400 a week. I rented through Christian Lucas (who has rentals all over France), 318 1/2 N. Rampart Blvd., Los Angeles 90026.”