33 Unique Resorts
Special touches and distinctive features set these retreats apart from the rest
By Emily Coleman
Graeme Outerbridge
Below, we have gathered a collection of properties that not only have the traditional makings for a great getaway but also provide a little something extra, from perks for your pet and spa treatments for your kids to rooms that you'll never want to leave.
For rates and details on any of these resorts, visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 998-6925.
Rooms to Remember
Think (and live) outside the box while staying at Jade Mountain Resort or Ladera Resort in St. Lucia -- rooms at these properties are without a fourth wall. The orientation of the rooms preserves guest privacy, while the open layout allows for stunning ocean vistas and fresh breezes. Plus, all accommodations at Ladera have private plunge pools, and guests staying at Jade Mountain can enjoy their own infinity pools.
Guests also can swim undisturbed at Las Brisas Acapulco. The Mexican resort, which is terraced along a hillside overlooking Acapulco Bay, boasts more than 200 pools, so all guest casitas have either a private or semiprivate pool.
Stay above the fray at Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, where hexagonal cottages are elevated on stilts. Downstairs, guests can relax in hammocks or stroll down the footpath to the beach. Get up close and personal with the ocean while staying in one of 84 soft-sided cabanas at 9 Beaches at the westernmost tip of Bermuda. All of them face the waves, and some are even perched directly over the water and have 2-by-4 Plexiglas panels in the floor for optimal viewing of underwater life.
Standout Spa Treatments
Refresh and renew at Ceiba del Mar south of Cancun, Mexico, with a Temazcal ceremony. This indigenous ritual, performed at sunset on the beach, uses hot volcanic stones and natural herbs to create a steam bath that's said to purify body, mind and spirit. Or, embrace the ancient Chinese philosophies of feng shui at the Yamaguchi Salon, part of the spa at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA. Here, you can ask for a hairstyle that combines the feng shui principles of harmony with modern hairdressing techniques.
Couples Negril in Jamaica caters to those looking for relaxation and romance. This all-inclusive resort just for couples offers the "Reggaesage" treatment, which combines the deep tones and rhythms of Jamaican reggae with a soothing massage. The spa at Amelia Island Plantation in far northeastern Florida delights couples with the "Chocolate Romance Ritual," a massage with chocolate-infused oils followed by chocolate tea and chocolate-covered truffles (80 minutes, $270 for two, plus a 20 percent service charge).
Extracurricular Activities
Add a little education to your vacation at Hawaii's Kauai Marriott Resort, where guests can take in the local culture through the "Signature Guest Experience Program." Learn to craft delicate earrings out of tiny, rare Niihau shells for $15 a person, or discover the legends of old Kauai through lively storytelling.
Investigate your potential as a circus performer by trying out the flying trapeze at the all-inclusive Breezes Bahamas on Nassau's Cable Beach. This fun feature also can be found at Breezes properties in the Dominican Republic, Curacao and Jamaica.
The Waikiki Parc Hotel on Oahu offers guests the opportunity to drive a Lotus Elise as part of its "Room and Vroom" package. Made in England, the Elise is one of the world's lightest and most efficient sports cars, going from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Choose from cars in two eye-catching colors, chili red and chrome orange.
Small groups staying at the Marquis Reforma in Mexico City can get a taste of the city's vibrant local food scene with a chef-led tour through the bustling San Juan farmers market. Then, guests participate in a cooking class and prepare traditional Mexican cuisine. The "Mercado Mexicano" excursion is designed for 10 to 12 people and costs $200 per person.
Local is also best at the CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla, which showcases ingredients from its own hydroponic farm and organic gardens on menus.
Perks for Kids
Some resorts have a little something extra for the youngest guests. At the three all-inclusive Tesoro Resorts in Ixtapa, Los Cabos and Manzanillo, Mexico, the Corsarios Kids Club offers children ages 4 to 12 fun activities throughout the day, like pottery lessons, kite building and treasure hunts on the beach. Aspiring young chefs can pick up some kitchen skills at the culinary academy for kids at the One & Only Ocean Club, located at Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
The 141-acre Aquaventure promises over-the-top thrills at Atlantis, also at Paradise Island. The water-themed attraction features a mile-long river ride with rapids and wave surges, and innovative water slides, including a 60-foot drop that propels riders through an acrylic tube submerged in shark-infested waters.
Children receive one-on-one attention at the all-inclusive FDR Pebbles and Franklyn D. Resort, located in Falmouth and Runaway Bay, Jamaica. Each vacationing family is assigned a nanny to assist with childcare and light housekeeping. Nanny services are complimentary from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. and available in the evening for a $6 hourly fee.
At the Grand Velas All Suites and Spa Resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, parents headed to the spa can bring their children along for some pampering, too. The kids' spa menu features playful treatments like a chocolate, strawberry or vanilla "malt" bath and a "Flower Shower" massage that utilizes fragrant petals. All kids' services are $55.
Pampered Pets
Paraiso de la Bonita in Mexico's Riviera Maya goes the extra mile for four-legged guests. Well-behaved pooches up to 22 pounds can enjoy the "Haute Dog Package" ($105 per day), which includes one gourmet meal of beef tenderloin and vegetables or chicken and liver puree, daily dog walking and a welcome kit. For $199, treat your pup to a spa day, complete with grooming, thalassotherapy bath and massage. If your canine companion makes a love connection, the resort will even stage a doggie wedding complete with "bow vows."
TradeWinds Island Grand Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, FL, welcomes pets up to 80 pounds with 48 pet-friendly suites, a special room service menu and a play area with drinking fountains, fire hydrants, shady umbrellas and a rinse-off-and-dry station with towels. There's also a designated dog-walking zone and spots around the property stocked with clean-up baggies and waste bins.
For Nature Lovers
Guests can live among the wild at Hotel Parador Boutique Resort and Spa in Costa Rica. The resort, set amid 400 acres of rain forest near Manuel Antonio National Park, is home to monkeys, iguanas and sloths. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando, FL, re-creates the atmosphere of an African savanna -- zebras, giraffes, antelopes, elks, gazelles and others wander up to the hotel. Some rooms overlook the wildlife preserve, and there are additional common areas for watching the animals.
All rooms at Costa Rica's Arenal Paraiso have views of the Arenal Volcano, and 11 thermal hot-spring pools dot the property, perfect for unwinding. Lions Dive and Beach Resort in Curacao has much to offer guests interested in the underwater experience. A PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) dive center is situated on the premises, and the artificial reef of the shipwrecked Stella Maris is just off the Lions Dive beach. Guests also receive free entrance to the Sea Aquarium Park and Dolphin Academy next door.
Get Away From It All
Find a peaceful oasis in Puerto Rico at Horned Dorset Primavera Hotel, where cell phones are banned from public places and children under 12 are not permitted.
Need a getaway from your hideaway? Sandals Royal Bahamian has its own private island accessible by ferry or kayak. Guests find two pristine beaches, a tranquil freshwater pool and a Bahamian restaurant here.
Haunted Hotels
A paranormal encounter would certainly make for a memorable vacation. Many hotels are rumored to have guests that simply refuse to check out. Among the most enduring tales is that of Kate Morgan, a young woman who committed suicide at the Hotel Del Coronado near San Diego in 1892. Odd noises, bizarre events and ghostly figures often are attributed to Morgan's presence. Ask for room 3327 for a chance to perhaps meet her yourself.
Across the country in St. Pete Beach, FL, there are reports that the Don CeSar Beach Resort is haunted by its builder and former owner, Thomas Rowe. While studying in Europe in the late 19th century, Rowe fell hard for a young woman named Lucinda, but her parents ended the relationship. When Rowe constructed the pink palace known as the Don CeSar in the 1920s, he included a replica of the courtyard and fountain where he and his love used to meet. The fountain is gone now, but some say they've briefly spotted a dapper young man and a dark-haired beauty holding hands in the lobby, then fading away.
Hotel El Convento in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a Carmelite nunnery before it was converted to a hotel in 1959. Some say the sisters still roam the halls, and that you can hear the gentle swishing of their robes.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in November/December 2008.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 998-6925 for current rates and details.
