Spring Break for Grown-ups: 10 Luxurious Getaways
When spring has sprung the need to escape grows stronger, but which vacation spots are free from boisterous undergraduates—and still family-friendly if you want to bring the kids? ForbesLife’s Ann Abel recommends a few luxurious getaways:
Mayakoba, Mexico
At the Andaz resort, above, in this Riviera Maya destination, adults can take beach yoga classes, enjoy a fine-dining Latin fusion restaurant and learn about Maya culture with a program that includes language lessons and “tacology” (taco-making) classes. Meanwhile, the Kimbo Kids Club has hourly activities all day, such as eco-tours of the lagoons, art lessons, science experiments and piñata-making classes.
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
This island’s attractions include more than 200 dive sites, a turtle farm, a botanical garden, forested trails, underground caves, shopping and museums. Its Seven Mile Beach, named the best in the world, is home to the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa, with 266 rooms, pools for families and adults, an extensive spa, plenty of water sports and three restaurants, including a 10-seat chef’s counter.
Sarasota, Florida
More low-key than Miami, this Gulf Coast city has some of the best white sand in the world, as well a growing arts scene. Downtown, the new Art Ovation Hotel, opening this month, has an in-house curator, quarterly exhibitions and a performance series. Circus Sarasota has performances by world-class artists from around the globe, plus recreational flying trapeze classes, and the Ringling museum lets kids play clown, tightrope walker and animal tamer.
Honolulu, Hawaii
The island's capital combines the leisure of a beach vacation with urban delights. The landmark Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, above—known as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”—on Waikiki Beach has a private sunbathing area and daily cultural activities such as lei making and Hawaiian quilting. It shares the Helumoa Playground and Keiki Pool, which has a 15-foot-high water slide and an interactive fountain area for kids.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
One of the oldest cities in the Americas, Santo Domingo is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fascinating place to stroll around for a history lesson that goes down easy. Built in 1502, the Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando hotel makes for a peaceful base that’s close to the National Palace, the Mercado Modelo, Catedral Primada de America and Casa del Cordón.
Your guide to luxury travel—and life's other indulgences.
Sagres, Portugal
Sagres, in Portugal’s far southwest, is rugged and wild, surrounded by a natural park and stunning beaches for surfing and sunbathing. The local Martinhal chain is dedicated to giving families a five-star luxury experience, and the Martinhal Sagres is among the best family resorts in Europe. Most of the accommodations are in stylish houses and villas with two to five bedrooms, and there are separate kids facilities and areas for various age groups from six-month-olds to teenagers, including staffed areas in or in front of the restaurants—where the menus are authentic enough for adults to enjoy and varied enough to please picky young eaters.
Quebec, Canada
While everyone else tries to flee the final weeks of winter, some love the cold. For those families, the lakeside Manoir Hovey hotel in the Eastern Townships of Quebec offers an upscale take on the region's traditional sugar shacks—dating from the 1800s, these structures were where the men who worked in the woods tapping maple trees at the start of the spring thaw would gather for big, hearty meals. Here, it takes the form of Sunday lunches (through April 15) with birch syrup doughnuts and maple-smoked game sausages served family-style, with the traditional dessert of sugar on snow served outside and a warm digestif of Ungava gin and birch syrup reduction for the parents.
Surfside, Florida
This pedestrian-friendly town, just north of North Beach in Miami, has some beautiful sand and an outstanding new hotel in the form of the Four Seasons at the Surf Club, above. Architect Richard Meier and designer Joseph Dirand brought back the 1930s celebrity hideout with a mix of historical preservation and modern glass buildings. The monthly Third Thursdays block parties and First Fridays beach picnics feature live music, food trucks and children’s crafts classes.
St. Barth
St. Barth always makes for a chic, sophisticated getaway. Now it’s bouncing back from Hurricane Irma, with hotels starting to open and reopen this spring: The stylish Villa Marie began welcoming guests again last week, including in two new two-bedroom villas, one with a plunge pool and the other with a Jacuzzi. Next up is the emergence of the Manapany Hotel on Anse des Cayes, with 43 rooms and suites facing the sea and separate pools for families and adults.
Gulf of Chirique, Panama
When the private island resort Isla Palenque fully opens on 400 acres in June, it will have eight beachfront casitas along with the six-bedroom main house, each of which can be rented individually. But for now, it’s available as a private island for one family at a time to play Robinson Crusoe—for when you want to get away from it all.
Arriving Soon: New Delta Air Lines Uniforms Designed by Zac Posen
Airline passengers aren’t the only ones who deserve an upgrade. At Delta, flight attendants will soon be wearing new uniforms—for the first time in a decade—created by designer Zac Posen.
The new uniforms, which arrive in May, will differ depending on whether staff work "over wing" (in the air) or "under wing" (on the ground), but Posen's signature "Passport Plum" suits will be worn by female cabin crew, while men will be in "Graphite Grey" with purple ties and pocket squares. More senior crew members will wear red.
To understand the practical requirements of the clothes, Posen actually tried out the roles of flight attendant, Sky Club concierge and gate agent to see how they felt.
He also worked with more than 1,000 employees who wore the uniforms on the job in order to identify any issues, which then resulted in more than 165 changes to improve the fit, form and function of the uniforms before the final garments were produced.
The airline says that its uniform team has taken the fittings "to the next level" by hiring local fitters with either a fashion or design background, training them on how the uniforms should look on employees, and offering all Delta employees a personalized fitting.
And Delta isn't the first airline to employ a fashion designer to create its uniforms—Virgin Atlantic hired Vivienne Westwood a few years ago and Air France has worked with Christian Lacroix.
Travel Wise
Putting a note in bottle may be a romantic gesture, but it’s not exactly a speedy or reliable way to communicate. Last week, a bottle that was tossed off the side of a German ship washed ashore in Australia—131 years after it was sent on its way in the Indian Ocean. A captain’s entry from June 12, 1886, it is believed to be the oldest message in a bottle ever recovered, and was part of an experiment by the German Naval Observatory to understand ocean and shipping routes.
A Wise Guide to Smart Carry-On Luggage
Forbes Finds covers products we think you’ll love. Featured products are independently selected and linked to for your convenience. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale.
Price: $225 (small carry-on) to $295 (large suitcase)
Vitals: Polycarbonate shell, waterproof lining, four double polyurethane casters
Dimensions: 22” x 14” x 9”, 7 lbs. (small carry-on)
Battery: Removable 37w lithium-ion
The Verdict: Away is certainly the best value and offers the most variety. The brand partners with Tile to provide Bluetooth-connected location services. A ton of accessories are available a la carte, including monograms, graphic stickers, and garment bags. Overall, the wheels are smooth and the handle is fairly sturdy, although the exterior is prone to scuffs and the sewn fabric that holds the two halves of the shell together seems like a potential weak spot. But the lifetime warranty should handle any problems that might arise (except, of course, scuffs).
Shop Now: Away
Price: $295 (A-22 carry-on); $395 (A-28 check-in)
Vitals: Makrylon polycarbonate shell, four polyurethane double casters.
Dimensions: 22” x 14” x 9”
Battery: Removable 28w Lithium-ion
The Verdict: The sleek gloss or matte finish and chic color options like lavender, hunter green, and baby blue make Raden perhaps the best-looking roller bag on this list. The hard-shell also has a lot of give and the reverse zipper closure makes for a waterproof seal. Also, the Raden app offers mobile chat support, which could come in handy in the event of an emergency.
Shop Now: Raden
Price: $550 (Aluminum Carry-On)
Vitals: Aluminum alloy, leather handles, four double Lisof wheels
Dimensions: 22” x 15” x 9”, 9.5 lbs.
Battery: Removable dual-port charger
The Verdict: The aluminum alloy shell should prove tougher than polycarbonate or nylon, and the antimicrobial lining is a nice luxury touch as well. The portable charger pops out from under the handle with a push, and Arlo Skye claims its Silent Run wheels are 15 percent quieter than standard polyurethane ones.
For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.
