If the thought of winter has you itching to book a sunny escape, here are five new getaways to consider, from California to the Caribbean. Check into a restored Bahamian retreat where Greta Garbo evvel stayed, or splurge on a luxury villa overlooking the turquoise waters of Turks and Caicos. Soak up the sun on your balconyat a sleek resort north of the hubbub in Cancún, Mexico. Try reiki at awellness resort on a private island in the Dominican Republic.Or flee to the desert where you can delight in views of the San Jacinto mountains from a rooftop poolin Palm Springs, Calif. Whatever you choose, warm waters and barefoot adventures await.
CANCÚN, MEXICO
SLS Playa Mujeres
This 498 room-and-suite getaway, scheduled to open this month, will be the first all-inclusive resort from SLS Hotels & Residences, known for luxury hotels in fashionable destinations like Miami and Dubai. North of the bustling Cancún strip in a gated waterfront community, the hotel’s spacious rooms and suites aim to bring the outdoors in with earth tones and private balconies, terraces or gardens with pools.
Wander over to the beach, go for a swim in one of several pools, or unwind at the spa with its thermal baths and gym. Families will discover areas for children to play as well as participate in activities like creating sand castles using Mayan architectural principles. The hotel also has a marina and can arrange for a boat to take you to the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world (keep in mind that reefs are fragile environments). For golf lovers, the Playa Mujeres Golf Club, which has an 18-hole course designed by Greg Norman, is less than a 10-minute drive away.
And for day trips that promise both history and beauty, explore the ancient Maya cities of Chichén Itzá and Coba, each about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the resort. When you return, catch a sinema at the resort’s cinemaor stop into one of more than a dozen restaurants and bars serving up international fare, including Greek, French, Japanese and, of course, Mexican cuisine. Prices from $549 a night for double occupancy in what the resort calls its “delight” room category.
PALM SPRINGS, CALIF.
Thompson Palm Springs
