Beaches

I Had a Public Massage - True Story of a Beachside Spa Treatment

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

It was a beautiful day at the Curacao Marriott, and an hour-long massage had been booked for me at the spa. When I arrived at the spa, I was delighted to hear that my massage would take place right on the beach. How fabulous!

I followed my masseuse, who carried a large pile of towels, across the property. I assumed we'd be going to a secluded cabana somewhere, but as we continued walking, I found we were headed toward the side of the resort where my room was -- and there was certainly no cabana there. We approached a sunlit area with a few ineffectual bushes and a gazebo-like structure (above) where I understand weddings are often held. Weddings, as in, declaring your love for all to see in public. We entered the gazebo and I examined the roof and sides. There were no shades, no blinds; there was absolutely no privacy. People were lying on the beach (and even on the deck) on three sides of the gazebo, and the fourth side faced the open ocean, where resort guests were swimming and playing paddleball. I pretended this was normal to me for as long as I could.

It was only after she had covered the table with towels and said, "Okay, lie on your stomach facing this way," that I blurted out, "Um, I don't have any clothes on under this robe, you know, right?"

Tags: Beach, Beach Massage, Beaches, Curacao, Curacao Marriott, Marriott, Massage, Spa

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BMW Deal Makes Ritz Naples Even Better

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

I don't know about you, but I never need an extra reason to visit the Ritz-Carlton Naples Resorts. I'm not a golfer, so I can't speak with authority about the courses. But, they looked incredible. The spa, on the other hand, I experienced directly, and it continues to be among my favorites. Well, through April 29, 2010, there's another perk. Guests of both the beach and golf resorts will have access to eight BMWs and one MINI convertible. The cars will be available for complimentary use through the BMW/Ritz-Carlton Driving Tour.

Guests will have access to the cars from half an hour to up to three hours, based on availability, from 9 AM to 6 M every day. If you have restaurant plans that take you off-property, you can arrange to pick up the keys to one of the BMWs by 5:30 PM and return the car by 11 PM. To make a reservation, stop by or call the BMW/Ritz-Carlton Driving Tour desk at either the golf or beach resort. Making a reservation a week in advance is a smart move.

Tags: beach, beaches, bmw, florida, golf, golfer, golfers, golfing, hotel, hotel deals, hotels, resort, resorts, ritz, ritz carlton, ritz-carlton

What are the Next Hot-Spots in the Luxury Resort Scene?

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Video

Luxist Awards asked three of our Expert Panelists, all veterans of the travel industry, about the hot destinations of the future. Their answers may surprise you.

Adam Stewart the chief executive of Sandals Resorts International; Nikheel Advani, Chief Operating Officer and Principal of Grace Bay Resorts; and Ed Steiner, Senior Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean, One&Only Resorts share their vision with Luxist.

Tags: beaches, buenos aires, BuenosAires, grace bat resorts, grace bay club, GraceBatResorts, GraceBayClub, great exuma, GreatExuma, kerznerinternational, luxist-awards, main-pedia, montenegro, ocean club, OceanClub, oneonly palmilla, OneonlyPalmilla, royal plantation collection, RoyalPlantationCollection, sandals resorts international, SandalsResortsInternational, south africa, SouthAfrica, summer-travel-pedia, summertravel-pedia, winter-travel-pedia

Surfrider Foundation, Charity of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world's oceans, waves, and beaches, and works to further that mission through educational programs and the development of grassroots awareness. Their programs include everything from the expected like monitoring water quality and teaching kids to respect the beach to the slightly less expected, like information on how to create an "ocean friendly garden" that reduces runoff and harmful pollutants.

You can take part in their programs hands on if you live near any of the nations coasts (they have chapters pretty much everywhere) or join online and support them from anywhere.

Source

Tags: beach, beaches, charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, conservation, earth, environmental, environmentalprotect..., green, surfrider, surfrider foundation, SurfriderFoundation

It's a Dog's Life on Cyprus

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Pets

On Cyprus, different beaches appeal to different people, but they all have one thing in common: no dogs are allowed on them. The rule is in place to make sure the beaches stay clean for bathers. Perhaps tired of enforcing the policy, or simply tired of hearing complaints from dog-lovers, the authorities on the holiday island are considering changing the rules to give dogs (and presumably their owners) their own beach. No location has been picked out yet, but a dog-only beach is sure to be a big draw with pet owners.