There’s summer in the Hamptons — and then there’s summer at Gurney’s Montauk Seawater Spa & Resort, where sun-drenched sophistication meets peak scene-stealing glam. Set on a dramatic bluff with panoramic Atlantic views, this East End icon doesn’t just offer luxury, it guarantees a spot at the most coveted beach party around. And this year, … Read more
Spying on marine life with a pair of binoculars or just having a fancy spa day, here’s how the better half does Long Island’s better half. Vision quest We spy … Marram hotel guests spotting Montauk wildlife through a partnership with Swarovski Optik. Read McKendree See it to believe it. Montauk’s boutique resort Marram has … Read more
Bears, wolves and deer — oh my! A Belgian zoo is offering guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share a room with mammals, birds and animals of all kinds. Deemed as “Europe’s best zoo,” Pairi Daiza is now allowing guests to fully experience wild animal life at all hours of the day. Imagine waking up alongside … Read more
One woman revealed how she traded her small apartment for full-time life at ritzy hotels across the world for free. Elizabeth Shores ditched her Florida apartment for five-star resorts, eating chefs’ finest foods and enjoying the best views the world can offer — and is saving money living it up. So, how does one get … Read more
Some people leave Mexico exhausted from partying — I was exhausted from good health. Over four days last month, I met with two functional medicine doctors, two nurses, an osteopath and a nutritionist. I had my blood, body composition and cognitive abilities tested. I was cold plunged, wrapped in seaweed, zapped with electromagnetic waves and spritzed … Read more
Pearched on a cliff overlooking the glistening Gulf of Papagayo on Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast sits the new Nekajui (pronounced NEK-ah-wee), a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property. When it debuted two months ago, this “rare estate set apart from the world” became the eighth Ritz-Carlton Reserve on the globe, as well as the hotel group’s first … Read more
In 1535, Hernán Cortés established the first Spanish settlement at Cabo San Lucas, on Mexico’s Baja peninsula. In the 1960s, Hollywood stars like Charlie Chaplin and John Wayne flocked to the then-remote area as an escape from the limelight. Drawn by its year-round sunny climate, they sought its promise of la buena vida — the … Read more
Forget Miami Beach and Mexico — if you want to swim with massive, magnificent, mysterious mobulids (the fish family that includes both manta and devil rays) make for the Maldives. Don’t be frightened by their two horn-shaped fins, or their whip-like tails. Neither of these angelic fish are anything like their deadly cousin, the sting … Read more
Overlooking Switzerland’s picturesque Lake Lucerne — just a 45-minute drive from Zurich and an eight-hour flight from New York — is a five-star wellness retreat that caters to the uber-wealthy with money to spare on a head-to-toe health makeover. With prices starting at $10,000 a week, visitors to Chenot Palace Weggis get a customized plan … Read more
Although there is plenty of room at this California vacation spot, your entire family won’t be able to check in for a stay. Alila Marea Beach Resort, located in Encinitas, will no longer be welcoming children on the property. The World of Hyatt luxury resort posted the announcement of the transition on its website. “Please note … Read more
Before shots are fired and a face-down body floats by a glassy pavilion in the opening scene of Season 3 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” your first question was probably: Where is this nirvana and can I go there? The answer is the spa at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas in Thailand — and yes, … Read more
And you thought your vacation horror story was bad. The “world’s unluckiest traveler” has been named in a new contest of calamities — put on by a travel insurance provider. The most sordid saga — involving skydiving and a friend being hauled out in a bodybag (but not necessarily in that order) — turns out to … Read more
Ask anyone with a tax write-off: The silent auctions at the most begowned, jewel-encrusted philanthropic throw-downs contain splendiferous bargains. Those in the know snipe the deals on donated luxury goods, but all too often the world-weary crowds, paying $10,000 or more per table for soggy salmon meunière to support their pet cause, let them slip … Read more
Whether you spell it St. Barts, St. Barth, or simple $$$, there’s no denying that this tiny French territory anagrams to serious R&R. The island boasts as many spas as white sand beaches. In fact, Cheval Blanc St-Barth — the Caribbean’s only property with “palace distinction” — is celebrating its 10th anniversary by unveiling a … Read more
A last-minute, five-star room in the Caribbean over the Christmas season used to be as elusive (and expensive) as a Birkin bag. But this year, take your pick at the luxe proper ties there — you’ll likely find a room at many resorts, even with mere weeks to go. “Festive space is plentiful, which is … Read more
This isn’t your mother’s beach getaway, but it is intended to be enjoyed with your mother. A new Caribbean resort development, accurately dubbed South Bank, is elevating family travel in Turks and Caicos. Set along 31 acres of pristine shoreline on the island Providenciales — “Provo” among locals — the nation’s latest luxury residential resort … Read more
Strap yourself in! Barely three months after Sandals Resorts International opened up its nifty new 301-room Caribbean resort on the island of St. Vincent, Mother Nature, shrew that she is, welcomed in category 4 Hurricane Beryl — down from a 5, bless her heart — in late June into early July. And Beryl lived up … Read more
At the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, still waters run chic. Between two shorefront swimming pools, a swanky steam room, oversized Jacuzzi and fountains, H2O is a theme that flows throughout the throughout the property. After all, eau means water in French. The seven-acre estate, located on the barrier island of Manalapan just 20 … Read more
Buzzwords like “glamping,” “eco retreats,” and “biophilic design” dominate today’s travel market — but before green everything was “in,” there were treehouse. From “Swiss Family Robinson”-style passion projects to hippie homes, hand-built treehouses have always sparked a sense of childlike joy. Now, there’s fresh growth in the number of stunning treehouse hotels thanks to big … Read more
Dear Greta Gerwig: If you’re looking to cast Barbie in a “Safari” sequel anytime soon, might I suggest South Africa’s own Heather Wollon. Oh, sorry, she’s currently busy fearlessly changing a flat tire on her Toyota Landcruiser bush mobile not 10 yards away from two ear-perked, post-coital lions fresh off a roaring 17-second romp now … Read more