Trend: Women Traveling Solo
Who Does It Best
The Westin Boston Waterfront
When you're on the road by yourself- whether for business or pleasure-you want to stay someplace safe, but you also look for amenities like nice restaurants, workout facilities, and a spa. The Westin offers it all: guided runs, guest rooms equipped with cardio machines, in-room spa treatments, and the new Super Foods program, which features healthy menu options. Plus, public transportation is a breeze-the downtown bus stops in front of the hotel. (Rooms from $189;
westinhotels.com.)
Trend: Glamping
Who Does It Best
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort Bedwell River Outpost Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Glamping, which stands for "glamorous camping," takes the rough out of roughing it. In fact, except for the separate bathroom and shower facilities, the Bedwell River Outpost almost makes you forget you're camping. Set in a remote rain forest, the tents are filled with Adirondack-style furnishings, Oriental rugs, and fluffy robes. Despite the cushy accommodations, you'll want to spend your days horseback riding, mountain biking, kayaking, and whale watching. (Rates from $4,750, Canadian, per person for three nights, including lodging, all meals, and air transportation to and from Vancouver;
wildretreat.com.)
Trend: Deluxe Cruising
Who Does It Best
Celebrity Azamara Cruises
These new midsize cruises target a niche that's one step down from luxury: travelers who want an elegant experience minus the excessive formality, huge crowds, and exorbitant prices. According to
Fodor's editor and Caribbean expert Doug Stallings, smaller ships mean more intimate onboard experiences and land excursions. Azamara's two 700-passenger ships tour the Caribbean as well as off-thebeaten- path destinations in Asia and Patagonia. (Rates from $2,749 per person for a 14-night Caribbean cruise;
azamaracruises.com.)
Trend: Green Hotels
Who Does It Best
Hotel Terra Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The new 72-room Hotel Terra proves that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. The formula: Upscale comfort (think rough-hewn lumber with steel detailing and a flagstone fireplace set against a wall of deep-red leather tiles) combined with environmentally sustainable operating practices, including energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) carpets and paint, and low-flow water fixtures. The hotel is on its way to becoming one of only five Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified hotels in the U.S. (Rooms from $395;
hotelterrajacksonhole.com.)
Trend: Girlfriend Getaways
Who Does It Best
The Old Edwards Inn and Spa Highlands, North Carolina
This historic property has put a fresh spin on increasingly popular womenonly trips by throwing fly-fishing into the mix. You'll strap on waders and fish for brown and rainbow trout, then indulge yourself at the 25,000-squarefoot spa or work up a sweat in the new state-of-the-art fitness center. (The Fly-Fishing Package starts at $559 per person, including accommodations for two nights, breakfast, an eighthour guided fishing trip, gear rental, and more;
oldedwardsinn.com.)
Trend: Luxury Destination Spas Who Does It BestMayflower Inn & Spa Washington, Connecticut "True luxury retreats are in such high demand, and the Mayflower has transformed itself into one of them," says Stacy Small, president of Elite Travel International. Guest rooms are more like five-star suites, draped in lush fabrics and outfitted with every amenity: fireplaces, flat-screen televisions, and Red Flower bath products. When you enter the spa, a sea of white walls leads to the Garden Room-with 14-foot floor-to-ceiling windows- where you can relax before your next appointment. (Treatments from $160 for inn guests; all-inclusive spa programs from $4,800; mayflowerinn.com.) Trend: Hotel Spa Suites Who Does It BestLas Ventanas al Paraiso Los Cabos, Mexico Now you can do more than just visit a spa-you can check in to one for your entire stay. The two-bedroom, 3,893- square-foot spa suites at Las Ventanas al Paraiso are decked out with a treatment area and an all-in-one steam room, rain shower, and waterfall. Also on the menu: a butler to schedule your appointments, whether it's a dreamy multi-hour ritual or a Hatha yoga session. "Las Ventanas is the one place that made it onto my elite list of true luxury destinations that, when I went back, I found even better than I had remembered it," says travel writer Larry Olmsted. (Suites from $2,700 per night, including a $400 daily spa credit; regular rooms from $500 per night; lasventanas.com.) Trend: Travel Web Sites Who Does It BestKayak.com More than three-quarters of today's savvy travelers consult the Internet before booking a trip, but there are so many sites to check out, the Web can be more overwhelming than helpful. Two-year-old Kayak.com makes the process easy. The world's largest travel search engine (think of it as the Google of travel), it sifts through information from more than 400 sites with every query you type in. Plus, kayak.com is the only travel Web site that remembers preferences without requiring users to sign in, so you get personalized service each time you search. Trend: Upscale All-Inclusives Who Does It BestClub Med Cancun Yucatan Mexico The original all-inclusive resort is undergoing a renaissance and boosting the posh quotient. Stay in one of the 18 oceanfront suites in Club Med Cancun Yucatan's newly opened Jade Villa and you'll have access to room service, private transportation to and from the airport, complimentary fresh flower arrangements, and laundry service-all things you won't find at most Club Med resorts. As usual, the activity list includes sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, scuba diving, trapeze sessions, volleyball, and fitness classes. "Club Med is trying to change its image from a place that attracts partying singles to one that caters to upscale travelers looking for different experiences," says Today show travel editor Peter Greenberg. "And it works." (Rates from $1,120 per person per week; clubmed.com.) Trend: Dude Ranch Getaways Who Does It BestHome Ranch Steamboat Springs, Colorado "Dude ranches are often an excellent value for the amount of activity you can pack into one trip," says Greenberg. Ranches range from bare-bones rustic to ultra-lavish, and the Home Ranch skews toward the latter. Its six lodge rooms and eight private cabins are decorated with antiques, Indian rugs, and down comforters. In the winter you can work up an appetite with crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding (summers are all about horseback riding, fishing, and hiking) before sitting down to a gourmet four-course dinner served family-style at long oak tables. (Weekly rates from $5,075 per couple, including all lodging, meals, and activities; homeranch.com.) Trend: Hotel Super-GymsWho Does It BestPark Hyatt at the Bellevue Philadelphia Those tiny hotel workout rooms with old, rusty equipment may be a thing of the past as more properties start teaming up with stand-alone gyms to offer fitness-minded guests a fuller range of exercise options. At the Park Hyatt you can work off that cheesesteak at the adjoining Sporting Club at the Bellevue, a 93,000-square-foot fitness center that includes an indoor track, pool, and basketball and racquetball courts, as well as a healthy café. Choose from more than 100 classes a week, including the Boxer's Workout, Urban Rebounding, and even a Foot Saver class that focuses on stretching your feet. (Rooms from $250; parkhyattphiladelphia.com.)
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