Are We There Yet? – Caribbean Spas, Hotspots With Bad Reps, And Travel To …

There’s so much going on in the travel world that I thought this week’s column would be a mishmash of news. We’ll start with Caribbean spas…

SpaFinder recently reported over 82% of travelers now focus on hotel spas during the booking process. The Caribbean’s most luxurious boutique hotels are offering new indigenous inspired treatments attracting travelers to the region’s leading organic spas, Focused on ancient medicinal tradition, Mexico’s highly acclaimed Aroma Spa at Esencia Estate, for example, provides guests direct contact with Mexican culture through a selection of pioneering treatments that fuse health benefits with relaxation. For the ultimate Dominican spa experience, Sublime Samana Hotel Residences’ Sublime Spa taps into the natural environment – incorporating indigenous ingredients such as coconuts harvested on site into natural products made and used at the spa.

Looking for a destination with more edge? ShermansTravel recently released a list of the Top 5 Great travel destinations with bad reputations. So who made the cut? Medellin, Colombia; Tehran, Iran; Mexico City, Mexico; Cape Town, South Africa; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Have you been to any of these cities?

If you’ve had NYC on your radar, now’s the time to check out the Big Apple. The Roosevelt Hotel NYC offers a “90th Anniversary Escape” with a 76 percent discount on room rates, starting at $90 for one night on September 22nd, the hotel’s 90th anniversary date, for the first 90 reservations. Toasting to New York City’s yesteryears, the “Grand Dame of Madison Avenue” invites guests to envelop in its rich heritage by booking “90th Anniversary Escape.” Happy anniversary Roosevelt!

Finally, Stowe, Vermont is one of my all-time favourite cozy towns, and one of the most incredible places to stay there is the Topnotch Resort. They’ll be hosting a summer pool party series on Friday evenings featuring musicians from Montreal. The Topnotch Country Club Pool Party will happen at The Roost from sunset until the early morning hours (7p.m.-2a.m.) in both the indoor and alfresco spaces. With a European Beer Garden vibe, sunset will be celebrated “lawn party” style at the Meadowlark Lawn complete with DJs and ode to summer cocktails and craft beers. Then the party heads inside with acoustic sets and a late night bar bites menu served from 10 to midnight – all guaranteeing this will be a favorite Friday hangout for guests and locals alike.

Happy gallivanting!

Bon Voyage,

Jenn

Jenn Cox is a Montreal-based freelance journalist. Visit her website or email her at info@wordaddict.ca.

Photo: Topnotch Resort