There’s no one way to do spring break. Flee the cold and head to the beach. Embrace the snow and take a ski trip. Disappear off-grid to a remote locale. Settle into the heart of a big city. Let these ideas inspire your bespoke getaway.
Seek serenity at Hotel Belmar, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Live up in the clouds at Hotel Belmar
(Image credit: Hotel Belmar)
There is no rush at Hotel Belmar. Guests come here to slow down and enjoy the experience of living in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, taking in the views of the “lush natural landscapes” from their private terraces, said The New York Times. The 26 rooms and suites feature high ceilings and hand-carved furnishings made from tropical cedar and teak. On each bedside table is a Good Night Guide, with tips for unwinding, and an herbal tea sachet with botanicals from the family-run property’s garden.
Both “quiet and adventurous” activities are offered, added the Times, like forest bathing, birdwatching, low-impact hiking and naturalist-guided night walks. There are culinary options as well, including an organic coffee tasting and cocktail and mocktail classes, where guests use “infusions, syrups, teas and muddled herbs or flowers.”
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Race down the slopes at Club Med Québec Charlevoix, Canada
Skiers of all skill levels can have fun at Club Med Québec Charlevoix
(Image credit: Club Med Quebec Charlevoix)
Sure, you’re on spring break, but it's still a winter wonderland at Club Med Québec Charlevoix. This mountain escape offers “crisp air” and a “place to truly unwind,” said Fodor's Travel. You’ll spot “ski gondolas dangling every which way in the distance” on arrival. The slopes overlook the St. Lawrence River, and because the property is all-inclusive, lift passes, group ski lessons for kids, teens and adults and unlimited ski-in/ski-out access are included in every stay.
Accommodations are “stately-meets-ultra modern,” said Fodor's Travel, and when not in your room or skiing, chances are you’ll be in the central building. It’s home to the indoor pool complex, steam room, gym, fitness class studio, spa, wine bar, theater and the restaurants Le Marché and Le Chalet. Start with Le Chalet’s “killer” charcuterie board with local cheeses and meats.
Enjoy the great outdoors at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, Chile
Horses can often be spotted outside your window at Hotel Las Torres
(Image credit: Hotel Las Torres Patagonia)
In the heart of Chile’s spectacular Torres del Paine National Park is Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, a family-owned lodge giving guests the chance to choose between dozens of different guided experiences, each showing a different side of Patagonia. The Baqueano Cultural Experience is a highlight, with Patagonian cowboys and cowgirls providing visitors a peek into their life, teaching them how to saddle and ride horses before sitting down for some maté herbal tea and pumpkin bread with fresh salsa.
Hotel Las Torres is an excellent base for those who want to bask in the natural beauty of the park while staying in comfortable accommodations. Torres del Paine’s “rugged wilderness” is a “dreamscape,” filled with grasslands, “jagged granite peaks” and “glacier-fed lakes,” making it a “rewarding” spot for hikers, said Afar. Hotel Las Torres guests can embark on the famous W Circuit trek or take the sustainable trail — recently restored by the property and volunteers — to Base Torres viewpoint.
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Welcome wellness at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti, Italy
The indoor-outdoor pool at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti offers the best of both worlds
(Image credit: Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti)
If you’re ready for a “best-kept secret” wellness experience with a side of incredible views, Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti is for you, said Vogue. The hotel’s “seriously impressive” spa is one of the largest in the Alps, with saunas, steam rooms, sensory waterfalls, cold plunges, pools, a salt grotto and the complex’s centerpiece: an “enormous whirlpool of magnesium-rich salt.” Guests can also break up spa sessions by heading outside for adventures like guided “pulse-quickening” hikes that include forest bathing and birch sap tastings.
Keep the theme going by booking one of the Exclusive Spa Suites, equipped with a bio-sauna, jacuzzi, selection of herbal teas and infusions and a private terrace featuring valley views. When it’s time to eat, you have options, but be sure to dine at least once at Grual. This Michelin-starred restaurant serves dishes based on the different altitudes of the Dolomites, with courses focusing on ingredients found in the valleys, passes and peaks.
Delight in a desert getaway at Rancho de los Caballeros Resort, Wickenburg, Arizona
Wickenburg is known as the Dude Ranch Capital of the World
(Image credit: Rancho de los Caballeros)
Sprawled across 18,000 acres of desert land is Rancho de los Caballeros Resort, one of the “last vestiges of the true dude ranch,” said Condé Nast Traveler. The recently-renovated property’s “authenticity” is apparent around every corner. There’s a “rustic charm” to the Western-inspired lounge and guest casitas, as employees “walk by in cowboy hats and Wranglers” and Saturday nights are spent at group cookouts under the stars. Rancho de los Caballeros is the “real deal,” complete with a herd of 125 horses that are central to the experience. Guests can sign up for rides, barrel racing and roping lessons and team penning and watch the daily horse run, a “rather remarkable sight.”
All stays include breakfast, and more robust packages are available that cover lunch and dinner. Because of how large the property is, there’s room for a “constant stream of activities,” said Condé Nast Traveler, like archery, trap and skeet shooting, desert nature walks and swimming in the new pool complex.
Have a big city adventure at Tribe Hotel, Nairobi
The Empire Suite at Tribe Hotel features African art
(Image credit: Tribe Hotel)
At this stylish property in Nairobi’s Gigiri neighborhood, you might ask yourself, “Is it a gallery or a hotel?” said The Independent. The Tribe Hotel is filled with 900 African artworks and artifacts, including bronze statues from Benin and leather work from Cameroon. “Even walking to breakfast is a cultural experience.”
Shining a light on African and Kenyan traditions is important to owner Shamim Ehsani, who founded the hotel in 2008. The menu at Jiko Restaurant “spans the African continent” but “pays homage to Kenya’s farmers” specifically, said The Independent. It features dishes like forest mushroom soup with baobab powder and spicy suya nundu skewers with cassava. In the 10,000-square-foot Kaya Spa, a signature treatment is the Kenya Gold, which includes a scrub made from fresh Kenyan coffee beans.
When booking your stay, go with one of the “lovely” garden terrace rooms, which look out over a protected wetland. When relaxing on these balconies, guests can spot all types of birds, from “hadada ibis to marabou stork,” The Independent added. To see even more wildlife, ask the staff to arrange a night game safari at nearby Nairobi National Park, with the glittering skyline in the background.
Hit the sand and links at Tryall Golf & Beach Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Go for a swim then relax on Tryall Club's private beach
(Image credit: Tryall Club)
Everything you need for an “unforgettable tropical escape” can be found at Tryall Club, said Forbes. There’s a world-class golf course, a beach club, tennis and pickleball facilities and a luxurious spa, plus an untouched, private stretch of shoreline that’s more than a mile long. It’s the perfect location to splash around or plop down a chair, soak up the sun and watch the waves.
No two accommodations are the same; The Tryall Club has 74 independently-owned villas, “each designed to be your ideal vacation home,” said Forbes. Choose the size you need — a one-bedroom for a couple, two-bedroom for a small family or 10-bedroom for a multi-generational trip — and decide which amenities are essential. For true luxury, select a villa with over-the-top outdoor features, like a “jaw-dropping infinity pool” or “waterfall you can sleep under.”
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
