With holiday travel planning in full swing, Victoria King PR presents our picks for the top “ho-ho-hotel” happenings this festive season....
1.) Seven Nights a-Sunning: Ditch the snow for St. Barth at the newly-renovated Hotel Le Toiny. The Relais & Chateaux hotel reopens on November 1 with a swanky new Toiny Beach Club, plus redesigned rooms and a new chef. Villas are still available for the hotel’s popular Christmas season, where guests can enjoy a gourmet Christmas dinner and plenty of sun. This is classic St. Barth in its full holiday glory. Week minimum stay required.(From €2,120 per night) www.letoiny.com
2.) Here Comes Santa... Anita! 2015 closes with a photo finish at one of Los Angeles’ most iconic holiday traditions - Opening Day at Santa Anita Park. The legendary racetrack is fresh off a $40 million renovation. Its Opening Day celebration kicks off the “Tinseltown Trifecta” of holiday events, beginning with Opening Day at Santa Anita on December 26, followed by the Rose Bowl Game and Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2016. Don’t miss this popular tradition featuring thrilling thoroughbred racing, dapper dress and sunny SoCal temps. www.santaanita.com
3.) Ski, Spa and Snowga The Ranch at Rock Creek
Experience the Big Sky State in its full snowy glory with the Winter Wellness Adventure at the Ranch at Rock Creek, Montana’s leading luxury guest ranch. Hit the slopes at nearby Discovery Ski Area, hike for mountaintop “snowga” (yoga in the snow), and indulge in holiday-spiced treatments at the Ranch’s Granite Spa. Snowshoeing, sledding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating and more are available on-property. Cozy up in rustic-luxe lodge, log home or cabin accommodations, sip cocktails in front of crackling fires, and savor hearty gourmet cuisine. (January 3 – March 31, 2016) All-inclusive rates from $1,600 per night http://www.theranchatrockcreek.com/special/winter-ski-and-spa-special/
4.) Merry Christmas from Middle Earth: Give the gift of the getaway of a lifetime with a stay at New Zealand’s top super lodges. Hit the ocean and the course with the “Fish ‘N Chipping” package at Kauri Cliffs. Bring the entire brood to explore the great outdoors with the Family Heaven package at Cape Kidnappers. Explore Queenstown with the “Best of Both Worlds” package at Matakauri Lodge. In Pure New Zealand, the options are limitless. (Doubles from $830 - $1,140 per night) http://www.kauricliffs.com/ • http://www.capekidnappers.com/ • http://www.matakaurilodge.com/
5.) Gifts that Give Back – Red Lotus Bag at Phulay Bay: Phulay Bay (Krabi, Thailand) has partnered with Bangkok-based Lotus Arts de Vivre to create a one-of-a-kind handbag benefitting Elephant Family, a charity dedicated to protecting Asian elephants and their habitats. 100 percent of the proceeds from the bag, available for purchase at Phulay Bay, will benefit Elephant Family. The gift supports an important cause; Thailand has seen a 90 percent drop in its population of Asian Elephants, which are a sacred part of Thai culture and now threatened. $6,214 USD www.phulay-bay.com
6.) Desert Chalet: The Chateau at Lake La Quinta: Chill out beneath the warm desert sun this winter at The Chateau at Lake La Quinta. The boutique retreat opened in late-October as the first and only lakeside hotel in the Palm Springs Area, featuring 24 elegant suites and a gourmet Mélange Restaurant and Bar with sweeping views of Lake La Quinta. Santa-spotting? A 24-hour pool welcomes late-night dips beneath the stars. (From $239 per night.) www.thechateaulakelaquinta.com
7.) Baby it’s Warm Outside: 20% off W Scottsdale You don’t have to be a snowbird to enjoy Scottsdale. The desert destination is evolving, attracting more Millennials than Baby Boomers along with a slew of new restaurants, bars and attractions. W Scottsdale remains the go-to hotel for a chic, trendy stay. The hotel’s Holiday Package allows guests to receive 20% off rates, free holiday cocktails and 20% off purchases at W The Store, ensuring guys and dolls can look like a million bucks without breaking the bank. (Valid 11/19 – 12/30)(Rates from $227 per night) www.wscottsdalehotel.com
8.) Christmas in Kauai: Mele Kalikimaka is the thing couples say at Koa Kea Hotel & Resort, ranked the #1 hotel in Hawaii according to Conde Nast Traveler’s 2015 Reader’s Choice Awards. Sip cool cocktails beneath swaying palms or enjoy a surf lesson from the hotel’s resident pro. Kauai and Koa Kea remain one of Hawaii’s best kept secrets, and is the perfect escape for an intimate and quiet holiday getaway. (Festive rates from $600 per night) www.koakea.com
9.) Blue Christmas: Celebrate the holiday season at the only Relais & Chateaux hotel in Florida – Royal Blues Hotel. The boutique luxury art hotel features just 12 spacious suites set on the coast of Deerfield Beach, a quintessential American beach town on Florida’s Gold Coast. Indulge in a delicious gourmet dinner at the hotel’s Chanson restaurant, featuring “Cuisine Du Monde” with locally sourced ingredients. Lounge on powdery white sand beaches, try cable skiing at nearby Quiet Waters Park, or stroll along chic Worth Avenue in search of one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. (Rates from $495 per night) www.royalblueshotel.com
10.) New Year’s Eve on the Emerald Isle: Ring in the New Year in style at Europe’s leading country house hotel, Ballyfin Demesne. Spend afternoons relaxing by the fire, explore centuries-old grounds by horse-drawn carriage, or take part in festive activities like pre-dinner drinks in the Saloon with live piano music. The experience hits a high note on New Year’s Eve with a Gala Dinner in the State Dining Room, followed by a champagne toast and fireworks at midnight. Begin 2016 with a Jazz Brunch, afternoon tea with harp music and dinner, followed by traditional Irish dancing in the Ballyfin bar. (All-Inclusive rates from $1,300 per night) http://www.ballyfin.com
11.) Lean, Clean 2016 at Cal-a-Vie Heath Spa: Start the New Year on a light foot with a stay at America’s #1 destination spa, Cal-a-Vie Health Spa. The French Provencal-styled retreat is located just north of San Diego, offering sunny temperatures and 3-, 4- and 7-night wellness packages including accommodations, three gourmet meals per day from Cal-a-Vie’s organic garden, unlimited fitness classes, nutritional lectures, cooking demonstrations, and a host of indulgent spa services. (From $4,150 for an all-inclusive three-night stay) www.calalvie.com
12.) “Om” for the Holidays
Re-center after the hectic holiday season with a stay at India’s leading Ayurvedic retreat – Ananda in the Himalayas. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in the region widely known as the birthplace of yoga, the property offers a wide selection of custom wellness programs based around the healing principles of Ayurveda, yoga and meditation. The spa’s winter offer extends complimentary nights to guests booking a wellness package of seven nights or more. www.anandaspa.com
