With the recent snowfall at Mammoth, skiers...

With the recent snowfall at Mammoth, skiers have begun early pilgrimages to this popular winter resort on the eastern slopes of the Sierra. Dozens of trails/runs on Mammoth/June mountains (Ricochet, Chickadee, Grizzly, Easy Rider, Rollercoaster, Gravy Chute, Roadrunner, Gremlin’s Gulch, Spook, Solitude, etc.). Both downhill and cross-country skiing. Accommodations range from B&Bs; to lodges, condos, inns. With 214 rooms, Mountain Inn claims the distinction of being Mammoth’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel (inexpensive packages available Sunday through Thursday; call 800-228-4947). More than 50 restaurants in Mammoth (gourmet to fast-food). Besides skiing, Mammoth offers sleigh rides, bobsledding, ballooning, snowmobiling. Champagne served on a dog-sled dinner ride to the Mountainside Grill/Yodler Restaurant. Services in Mammoth include a child-care center, ski schools, race clinics, free shuttle buses (7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.). Alpha Air (800-421-9353 or 310-417-9744) provides daily flights from LAX, Burbank, Orange County. Greyhound (213-620-1200) also serves the resort. Snow reports available by calling (213) 935-8866 from Los Angeles; (619) 231-7785, San Diego.

Other details are provided in the 28-page Mammoth Mountain Magazine. Free copies from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, P.O. Box 24, Mammoth Lakes, Calif. 93546, (619) 934-2571.

Sleepy English Inn: How could anyone seeking respite for the night possibly fault a village called Great Snoring? Particularly when it’s home to a warm and pleasant little English inn called The Old Rectory. A former manor house, The Old Rectory rises on acreage that provides peace and seclusion in the heart of the Norfolk countryside. This, it should be noted, is about 115 miles northeast of London, approximately 25 miles northwest of Norwich with its great cathedral, and a short drive from the Queen’s country home at Sandringham. The area (East Anglia) takes in both Norfolk and Suffolk counties, where “historical roots run deep,” according to Jean Taylor of the British Tourist Authority.

While the original date of The Old Rectory is unknown, it is believed to have appeared about the time that Columbus discovered America. Guests view the garden from mullioned windows. Logs blaze in the fireplace. Birds sing out from a grove of trees. A setting that tempts the traveler into settling in for a snooze in Great Snoring.

The Old Rectory, Great Snoring, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 OHP, England. Rates: approximately $100 single/$140 double, including morning tea, a full English breakfast, taxes.

Vienna on a Budget: The latest issue of Gemutlichkeit (the travel letter that spotlights Europe) tells of a youth hostel in Vienna with accommodations for an amazing $15 a night. This is the cost per bed in a room that sleeps four guests. If you don’t care to share, the entire room is yours for $60. A huge bargain in these times of skyrocketing prices. Rates include a continental breakfast, free parking.

Schlossherberge am Wilhelminenberg, Savoyenstrasse a, A-1160 Vienna, Austria. For brochures on Vienna and other destinations in Austria, contact the Austrian National Tourist Office, 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2480, Los Angeles 90025, (213) 477-3332.

Gulf Island Inn: If you’re in Vancouver and want to experience life on one of the Gulf Islands (between Vancouver and Victoria), the Oceanwood Country Inn on Mayne Island has been getting rave notices. One of those rare spots with absolutely nothing to do but walk, jog or bike along peaceful country paths, launch a kayak near the inn or search for mushrooms in the woods. The Tudor-style inn features eight guest rooms--all with private baths, three with fireplaces, two with private decks. Besides breakfast, the Oceanwood serves dinner (averages out to $20/$25 per person without wine). Such items as roast duck with blueberry papaya chutney, caramelized pork tenderloin in rosemary calvados sauce with polenta, grilled chicken with a hazelnut crust/raspberry sauce, venison, pheasant. Rates include breakfast and afternoon tea (scones, jams, banana bread, cookies). On rainy days there’s a game room, a library with loads of books. The proprietors are a husband-and-wife team, Jonathan and Marilyn Chivers, a couple of ex-advertising/public relations executives from Vancouver. In the beginning, Mayne Island was their personal vacation retreat. In 1990, they opened their inn. If you’re looking for a woodsy island with sweet air/tranquillity, this could be the place.

Oceanwood Country Inn, 630 Dinner Bay Road, Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada VON 2JO, (604) 539-5074. Rates: $95/$150 double occupancy.

Greek Islands: Denise Collins of Rolling Hills Estates is planning to tour Greece and is curious about the islands of Crete and Mykonos. First Crete: This is the legendary birthplace of Zeus and a sun-washed bargain with its little pensiones . Zorba the Greek was also born on Crete (through the pen of Nikos Kazantzakis). The fame of Zorba the Greek is good for tourist business. Whenever TV stations rerun the old Zorba movie starring Anthony Quinn, it gets still more popular. The popularity of Crete is growing so fast that it worries the government. Since spoiling islands is a favorite pastime of tourists everywhere, the government continues to fret. The ancient Minoan civilization that developed on Crete about 3,500 years ago disappeared in an earthquake and stayed buried until this century when it was unearthed by Sir Arthur Evans, a British archeologist. For history buffs, it represents a Pompeii of sorts, with the spotlight on the palace of Minoan kings. Even if you don’t dig ruins, Crete is worth a visit, what with its splendid beaches and colorful cafes/tavernas.

As for Mykonos, it’s gotten terribly commercial. Still, I’ve always enjoyed stopping there for a visit. Mykonos remains a refuge for writers and painters--or anyone else seeking an island with a dash of spirit. Its harbor resembles a miniature St. Tropez, crescent-shaped and pleasantly warm, with fishing boats rocking on the water. It’s about a five-minute walk from one end of the harbor to the other. Tourists sit at sidewalk cafes, warming themselves in the sun and staring off at the sea. Later, as day ends, they sip retsina (the Greek wine) and enjoy the melodies of strolling musicians.

For travelers squeezed for time, the island of Hydra still pleases. Only a short journey from Athens’ port of Piraeus. Like Mykonos, its harbor faces fishing boats and is laced with sidewalk cafes and tavernas. I sat one night sipping retsina and listening to the voice of a single mandolin. As it grew later, the tavernas grew crowded. Candles burned in old wine jugs, and ships’ lanterns swung from the ceilings. There is magic in Hydra. Above the harbor, perched precariously against the steep hillside, are clusters of blue-shuttered houses with red tile roofs. Red poppies grow out of the cracks of stairways leading up the hillside. If you haven’t time to do Greece’s other islands (and there are dozens), Hydra is a good bet.

For details about the islands, contact the Greek National Tourist Organization, 611 W. 6th St., Suite 2198, Los Angeles 90017, (213) 626-6696.

Potpourri: For the third consecutive year, about a dozen hotels, motels, inns and B&Bs; in Santa Barbara are offering one free night for one paid night, and a score of others are offering three nights for the price of two, in a program called “Free Nights in Paradise.” Call (800) 927-4688 . . . For an updated 30-page guide for handicapped travelers visiting Hong Kong, contact the Hong Kong Tourist Assn., 10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1220, Los Angeles 90024, (213) 208-4582.

Reader Recommendations

California--Dr. and Mrs. Jack White, Redlands: “Calderwood, 25 W. Grant St., Healdsburg 95448. Magnificent restored Victorian inn in the heart of the Sonoma wine country. Rates: $85/$135.”

Colorado--Ted and Carol Dougan, San Diego: “The Damn Yankee, 100 6th Ave., Ouray 81427. A new eight-room B&B; with gourmet breakfasts. Rates: $58/$125.”

England--Mark Jones, Los Angeles: The Gallery B&B;, 36 Wyndam Road, Salisbury, England. Rates: $26 per person.”

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