Cinematic Beaches: The Hotel Martinez Has the Best Private Beach in France?

What happens when you combine the location of perhaps the world's most famous film festival with an amazing beachfront? I could give you a bunch of illustrative analogies, but don't let me spoil the surprise. Why don't you head to the Hotel Martinez and find out for yourself? Zplage, which is both the hotel's private beach and the technical term for when your shirt gets stuck in your zipper, is one of the premiere beaches in the world. With over 400 sun lounges and a vast pontoon, you're free to enjoy the sights of the ocean and tan on the French Riviera, all without having to even dip your toes in the water unless you'd like. Dine right on the beach at the Zplage Beach Restaurant, or head indoors for a two-star Michelin experience at the Le Relais Martinez. The piano bar, heated outdoor pool, and 2500 sq ft of conference space mean that the Martinez can host whatever event you and your operating budget can dream up. It's a tragic oversight that so many people who think of France don't look past Paris because France has far more to offer. If you take a trip a little bit off the beaten path, the Hotel Martinez will make you quickly forget the way back, and you'll be so enraptured, you may even forget to return home.

Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2012: Hotel Missoni Kuwait

Conde Nast Traveler, purveyor of fine hotel reviews and travel advice, has just released its 2012 edition of the Hot List, a list of hotels that are setting the hotel world aflame with fresh designs and new concepts, or maybe just a solid new look at classic luxury. 41 reporters embedded themselves anonymously in hotels across the globe to review their targets. What results is a list of 121 hotels around the world that are so on fire they should be put on your watch list, just in case they end up burning down.

My experience with a hotel like the Hotel Missoni in Kuwait could only be characterized as Christopher and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Room. Upon entering, one might be tempted to channel the spirit of a certain 90s popsicle commercial: "the colors, Duke, the colors!" I wonder how many rainbows were harmed in the making of that upholstery. In any case, the Hotel Missoni has definitely embraced the boutique spirit. They've taken an offbeat design concept and embraced it wholeheartedly, carving a niche market out of a space that didn't used to exist. A room that appears as if it was diffracted through a raindrop might not be your style, but if it is, you certainly won't find it anywhere else in the world in quite the same way as the Missoni Kuwait. 

Of course, the hotel has its more traditional luxury aspects as well. The hotel features 169 uniquely designed rooms on the Kuwaiti coast with both the water and vast sandscapes nearby. Elegant Italian dining and a chocolate and coffee cafe anchor the hotel's restaurant experience, and its Six Senses Spa and outdoor pool are perfect for relaxing. If you're looking for a completely different aesthetic meshed with the five-star luxury you know and love, the Hotel Missoni Kuwait might be just what you're looking for.

Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2012: W Retreat and Spa Bali Seminyak

Conde Nast Traveler, purveyor of fine hotel reviews and travel advice, has just released its 2012 edition of the Hot List, a list of hotels that are setting the hotel world aflame with fresh designs and new concepts, or maybe just a solid new look at classic luxury. 41 reporters embedded themselves anonymously in hotels across the globe to review their targets. What results is a list of 121 hotels around the world that are so on fire they should be put on your watch list, just in case they end up burning down.

The W Retreat and Spa Bali Seminyak is a hotel that invites a lot of superlatives. They seem to attract -est's like few other hotels in the business. The b-'s, the fanci-'s, the wonderful-'s, they are all attracted to the W Retreat Seminyak like tiny linguistic moths to a descriptive flame.  The 237 room hotel, of which 76 face the sea, somehow manages to be both a secluded retreat and in walking distance of every up-and-coming fine restaurant in Jalan Petitenget.  The retreat somehow manages to blend the aesthetics of traditional Balinese villages with our future booming Neon gas industry. It is colorful and well-rounded, in the sense that corners are in short supply in the designer space. If something off-beat but traditionally relaxing is your cup of tea, then you should check out the W Retreat and Spa Bali Seminyak.

A Little Slice of Heaven: Shangri La's Boracay Resort and Spa

The Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa is nice little haven of solitude and serenity in a world where it's hard to get away from the constant activity of the urban lifestyle. Boracay is everything the city is not: quiet, calm, pristine. Its 183 guest rooms and 36 villas are just what the doctor ordered if he demanded that you take a long vacation on sandy beaches with your favorite cocktail in hand. If he did that, we're trading doctors.  The Boracay Resort comes with its very own tranquil spa village, a complex of buildings set up to relax your mind and pamper your body. Your taste buds can get in on the action as well at Rima Restaurant or Sirena for gourmet Italian and fresh seafood. Two separate beach coves ensure that there will always be a quiet place on the beach for you, even if the annoying uncle you had to bring along wants to come, too. Just send him to the other side; we won't tell your mother. The Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa is everything you dream of when you imagine a world of opalescent beaches and azure waters, only this time, it's real.

Aleenta Phuket Launches a Secret Dinner Series

The Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga Resort and Spa in North Phuket, Thailand is proud to present the NA THALANG Ancestral Siamese Cuisine Secret Dinner series every Monday until further notice. Prepare to experience traditional and authentic dishes from the kitchen of Chef Premchit Prateap Na Thalang prepared from secret recipes passed down through 12 generations. The menu will feature distinctive southern Siamese cuisine with Chinese and Indian elements and fresh ingredients from the forests and seas of the Andaman coast. The courses will feature juice, canapés, an aperitif served at 7:00pm, and an 8-course tasting dinner served at 7:30pm.

The Aleenta Phuket is a beautiful boutique hotel with only 40 rooms and 15 suites including pool villas, ocean view lofts, and private 2 and 3 bedroom beachfront villas located steps from the beach. This luxury hotel is only 20 minutes from the Phuket International Airport and a short distance from the Blue Canyon Golf Course and the beautiful Phang Nga Bay.

Be sure to explore this simply stunning hotel and make your dinner reservations to embark on a truly authentic and once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience!

Don't Be Hasty: Stay at the Hastings House

Salt Spring Island is one of the most iconic destinations in all of Canada, a small, exclusive natural island that promises an escape we'd all like to enjoy. Overlooking Ganges Harbor, Hastings House is a small manor house that's a perfectly self-contained destination. The folks there do dining right as well. They are clearly friends with one Peregrin Took because not only is muffin and coffee delivered right to your door, you can follow it up with a leisurely second, English breakfast. Lamb and local seafood are the figureheads of the Verandah's beautiful dinner options, and they are always complimented by fresh herbs and produce from the estate gardens. It couldn't be fresher if you picked it yourself. Top it off with a glass from their incredibly well-stocked and international wine cellar.

The small manor also offers its very own wellness treatments from massages to body wraps right next to the fireplace in your very own suite. It's a vacation experience you won't want to miss out on. The Hastings House even has some adorable pet lambs. 

Romantic Getaway Ideas: The Regent Palms

Whether you’re planning a wedding, honeymoon, or simply a lovely weekend with your loved one, we certainly have a few romantic getaway ideas for you to consider. With over 3,000 luxury hotels on our site, we have something for everyone. So whether you’re searching for an all-inclusive resort, an exciting hotel with outdoor activities, or a snowy paradise, we have you covered. Check in with our blog series for ideas and inspiration on where to ignite your passion next!

Today’s feature is The Regent Palms. This beautiful luxury resort is located less than 600 miles southeast of Miami on the stunning islands of Turks and Caicos. The Regent Palms lies amidst 12 acres of gardens and on the edge of the 12 mile Grace Bay Beach and has 164 rooms and 72 one, two, and three bedroom suites available. Its 26,000 square foot spa has been updated and now offers a new treatment menu, newly introduced product lines, and a soft renovation of the treatment rooms. This phenomenal property was voted #1 Best Beach in the World by TripAdvisor, and it has received the ‘Hotel of the Year’ award from the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association for the second year. The fine dining restaurant, Parallel23 tied for the ‘Restaurant of the Year.’ With all of these impressive awards, recognitions, and upgrades, the Regent Palms is certainly a phenomenal option for a romantic retreat!

Check in with us often to explore other luxury hotel recommendations perfect for a romantic escape!

Super Luxury Awaits at the Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

The Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is set on the shore of the Andaman Sea, and it is a hideaway 54 villa boutique hotel that takes luxury to a new level. The Phulay Bay offers its guests the best of all worlds, with stunning views of the towering limestone karsts, sandy beaches, and a national forest with hidden waterfalls. The Phulay Bay is all about enlivening the senses and providing guests with an enriching experience. Prepare to be stimulated by the resort’s own scent, signature drink, traditional Thai music, and stunning scenery both inside the suites and around the resort. Its phenomenal villas offer stunning ocean views, private plunge pools, walk-in closets, cathedral-like bathrooms, and sheltered outdoor baths and showers set among indigenous flora allowing guests to detach from the world. What sets this hotel apart is its exemplary customer service. From arranging a meditation class in a local monastery to elephant trekking to a remote picnic spot, the staff at the Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is willing to assist you in all of your arrangements to make your visit to Thailand simply unforgettable!

What's the Big Deal? Special Offers at the Parrot Cay

If I had a pet parrot, I would name it Cay. It would awkwardly repeat the poorly delivered Journey songs that I inevitably begin singing when left alone for too long, and my friends would gradually begin to shy away from me, shocked by my love for cliched pop rock. Fortunately, my house is a strictly enforced no-fly zone, so my friendships are safe for now. Which means I'm free to invite a few of the aforementioned brothers and sisters in crime to a summer retreat at the one and only Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos. And since my friends are notorious pinchers of the proverbial penny, I was extra happy to learn that towards the end of the summer, Parrot Cay is offering a 4 nights for 3 deal on all of its room types. For those of us whose math skills have long since fractured under the weight of accumulated sports trivia, that's a 25% discount off the total price of a 4-night stay and is a great way to get an affordable price on one of their spectacular beach villas. Look in any of the summer months for this great deal.

New Spa Cabana at the Sunset Key Guest Cottages a Westin Resort

The Sunset Key Guest Cottages is a Westin Resort located on Sunset Key, a beautiful, secluded 27 acre Florida Island. The cottages comprise 7 acres of the island, and they are designed for the sophisticated traveler who demands the best of the best. The perfectly appointed cottages are nestled between the swaying palm trees alongside the white, sandy Florida beach. Breathtaking Ocean and garden views are offered, and each cottage is fully equipped with a kitchen, living and dining area, bathroom(s), and a beverage and pantry bar.

The Sunset Key Guest Cottages just recently opened its new Spa Cabana where guests can enjoy a variety of massages all while indulging the senses in the island surroundings. The Spa Cabana is on the waterfront on a quiet corner of Sunset Key Beach with a thatched roof and open wall design, providing guests with the opportunity to take in the warmth of the sun, scent of the sea, and the sound of the waves. Enjoy the most relaxing massage and experience the best of the Sunset Key by making your reservation for the Sunset Key Guest Cottages today!